To Fly Free
by Gemini14
Summary: The Harlock will to become and remain free is in all of the pirate knight's descendants. Even those in a branch of the family long banished from Arcadia. Find out how!
1. Prologue

To Fly Free

Prologue

It had begun quietly, as all rebellions tend to, deep within the foundations of a man's heart. With deep-rooted disgust, a man gazed at the outside world; inwardly seething when he beheld the newest occupants of earth.

" You appear upset, Captain." a voice said, from behind; the sneering quality in it angering the man even further.

" It's none of your concern." the man growled; his tone warning the metal monstrosity behind him that it was treading on thin ice, at best.

" Is it because you are handing in your resignation notice? That you are handing over your ship and crew to our empire?" the machine man questioned, blatantly ignoring the man's unspoken warning, and boldly approaching him as he spoke. The next thing the machine man knew, was that the man had his gravity saber pointed at his ' face' , and a fierce light was shining in his eyes.

" Try that again, and I will make certain that your 'immortality' ends right here. Am I making myself abundantly clear?" the man snarled. With a shaky nod, the machine man backed away from him; barely suppressing a shudder as he did so. Even though the man before him was from the defeated Earth Alliance Fleet, he still walked with pride...still held his head high. Yet, it was the man's background that made him all the more formidable. Even though he was a well-known, well-respected captain, no one knew his real name. All who served under him had called him 'Yasha' since he'd fought with such a determination, that it had reminded some of the Eastern crewmen under him of some of their ancient myths. His command, the **_Octavian_**, had been one of the constant 'thorns' in the Machine Empire's flesh over the few years the war had been going on; proving time and again how wily and ingenious human captains could be...But it was all over, now.

"_We'll have to watch him carefully, to make certain he isn't able to follow the_ _**Karyu**_' _s captain and crew into rebellion._ _This_ _man has the fierceness to match both of the known remaining members of the Harlock Clan_." the machine man mused, as the elevator stopped on the floor the office Yasha wanted to go into was, and the disgraced captain walked out. Yet he still shivered involuntarily when the image of the man's fury-filled grey-flecked brown eyes remained, long after the man in question had disappeared down the hall, and the elevator doors had closed.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Far away from the cities, on a rustic farm, a ten-year-old boy played; oblivious to the turmoil the earth was facing. At his side, a bundle of silver-grey fur toddled along beside him; never letting him leave its' sight. Both perked up when they heard and saw a car pull up, and the boy let out a whoop when he saw someone he knew emerge from it.

" Dad!" the boy shouted, as he raced to the uniformed man that stood in front of the house with suitcases in hand. With a grin, the man threw his luggage aside, held his arms open to the boy, and allowed said child to leap into his embrace.

" You made it home! I knew you would!" the boy cried, happily, as he enthusiastically hugged his father's neck.

" It would take more than an occupation fleet to kill me, Fritz. How have you been?" the man asked, as he patted the boy once on the back, and then lowered him to the ground again. At this the boy grinned up at him.

" I've been great, Dad! I've even found a new friend! Look!" the boy said, as he motioned to the pup that was, even now, standing at his side. With a warm smile, the man extended a hand to the pup; his smile broadening when it tried to place a paw within it to 'shake' his hand in greeting.

" And greetings to you, little one. What name do you go by?" the man asked, gently.

" His name's Silvereye, since he's got one silver eye and one blue one. Found 'im a couple of days ago, all alone." Fritz replied, sobering slightly when he mentioned that, yet then said, "But he's not alone anymore!"

" That I can see. Welcome to the family, Silvereye. It's good to have you." the man stated, as he gently shook the pup's paw, then moved his hand and rubbed the backs of the pup's ears.

"Are you home to stay, Dad?" Fritz asked, as he watched his father stand, and then stiffly move to get his suitcases. He was answered by a somber nod.

" It seems that way. The earth is now in the hands of its' oppressors. History is repeating itself in the worst way imaginable." the man sighed, then gave his son an unreadable smile, before silently adding, " _But at least now I have been able to return to spend time with_ _the only family I have left_." Yet, he seemed surprised when he saw what seemed to be a look of comprehension in the pup's young eyes.

" Come on. The least I can do before sunset is take you both out in the Arcadia." the man then said; his words getting a whoop of excitement from Fritz, and an equally eager yip from the wolf pup as well. Within the hour, the man (who was now dressed in a black flightsuit) was opening what appeared to be a makeshift hangar; revealing what was inside that had gotten such an excited response from the boy. An ancient airplane sat in its' makeshift berth; restored wings and cockpit gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. It was an old Messerschmidt style plane, that had the name 'Arcadia' emblazoned boldly on its' left side. With reverence, the man walked up to it, and touched the name; remembering all of the old tales he'd heard in his youth about his ancestors, and their homeland in Germany.

" _It seems the pirate knight's blood is still flowing strongly in me, and my son. I can only hope that it won't be shed by those damned_ _Machine Men_." the man thought, venomously; yet hid his inner rage from view, when his son dashed into the hangar dressed in his flightsuit, with the wolf pup tucked tightly into a blanket in his arms.

" Ready to fly?" the man asked.

" You bet!" Fritz answered, eagerly, as Silvereye uttered another bark in agreement. The man then allowed a smile to appear on his face, as well.

" Then let's go." the man said, as he attached a ladder to the side of the aircraft, picked up both boy and wolf pup, and then effortlessly climbed up into the cockpit. With practiced ease, the man started the engine in the old plane, then guided it out of the hangar; only pulling the cockpit closed when it was clear enough of the opening to pick up speed.

" Hey, Dad." Fritz shouted, amidst the roar of the plane's engine.

" Yes?" the man responded, as he busily checked the dials and gauges in preparation for flight.

" Let's fly an' keep on flying! Maybe we can make it to where the big Arcadia is!" Fritz suggested; getting an agreeing bark from Silvereye as he said that. At first, the man wanted to say no to the idea; he couldn't disgrace his family's honor by running away!

"_And yet, that was exactly what my direct ancestor had done. What right do I have to claim such honor for myself, when I myself am_ _descended from a coward?_" he wondered, then glanced into the hopeful eyes of his son and pet wolf and nodded.

" Are you sure? There's no turning back, once we start flying." he warned.

" Yeah." Fritz said, solemnly; surprising his father with how much thought he'd seemed to have put into the seemingly sudden decision.

" Let's fly! Let's fly!" Silvereye yipped, excitedly; forgetting himself in that moment of impatience, and causing the man to freeze and give him a wondering look.

" Oops..." Silvereye mumbled, when he realized what he'd done, and the disbelieving look he was getting from his friend's father. Then the man shook his head, and gave the pup a rueful smile that said it all. Moments later, the old airplane was airborne...their journey to freedom had begun.

Author's Note!

GRR DAMMIT! I HATE THIS SITE! I tried to upload it in the usual rtf format, and this shitty site said it was an empty document! I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't look right, but this fucked up site isn't cooperating!

Gemini14


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

All was silence, except for the whine of a distant, one-man plane's engine. It had been several days since the split decision to leave their home behind, and already the pilot could see that it had been a good one.

"_How he could have possibly known that the Machine Men would go to such measures to silence me, I will never know._" the man mused, as he gazed at his son. The boy was now nestled snugly against his chest, sound asleep. The wolf pup was also in deep slumber; occasionally growling at some dream or another. Neither of them had heard, therefore, the news reports that had come in through the plane's radio about the former captain's narrow escape. As far as he knew, their home was gone...All of the memories that had been stored there were now going up in smoke.

"_Probably for the best, I suppose._" the man mused; wincing slightly when he remembered that his wife had died just a couple of years before; losing her battle with a lingering illness...a battle she'd fought with just as much determination as a rightful member of the Harlock Clan. With a sigh, he banished his sadness, and listened to the familiar thrum of the Messerschmidt's engine. He'd put so much work into the old plane; replacing the old gasoline engine with a solar-powered one, putting in new radios and even simple radar equipment...All the while wondering if someone from the beyond was guiding his hands as he installed it all.

"_There's certainly more to this earth than a mere human mind can understand. I know that without having to even look very far_..." the man mused, as he gently gazed at the wolf pup his son had found. They now were flying over what had once been the Atlantic Ocean, once again causing grim musings to pass through the man's mind.

"_It seems Queen Starsha's gift didn't last long enough for this ungrateful world._" he sadly thought, as he looked out at the dried-up expanse; silently wondering about whatever had become of the ancient battleship that had gone to the distant world for the aid the earth had needed then. Legends had said that it had disappeared, but no one could be absolutely sure.

"_Yet no one had ever come across it's remains, either. The __**Yamato**_ _could still be out there, somewhere._" the man silently added; looking aside when Fritz began to rouse up.

"'Morning Dad." Fritz yawned, as he rubbed the grit out of his eyes.

"Good morning. Sleep well?" the man asked. This got a nod from both boy and wolf pup.

"Yeah. Are we almost there yet?" Fritz answered, as he looked out from the cockpit at the desert below them.

"It shouldn't be too much longer. We'll be in Europe before you know it." the man reassured.

"Good. Can't wait to see if the big Arcadia will be there." Fritz said, eagerly. At this, his father could only feel a little dread creep into his heart. The two sides of the clan had been estranged for centuries...would they even be welcome by the land itself or its' people?

"Attention unidentified aircraft! This is ground control! Do you copy? Over!" a voice said, authoritatively, over the radio.

"Yes. Reading you loud and clear." the man replied, as he looked out of the cockpit and gazed at what appeared to be a rather new airfield.

"Good. What brings you all the way out here in that old thing?" ground control asked, confusedly. At this, the man could only smile.

"Just taking my son up for a while." the man replied; not really lying, yet not really telling the truth, either.

"I see. Well, guess you'd better come down for a bit. My superiors are having a conniption down here over a civilian plane coming into military airspace." ground control muttered, exasperatedly. This got a chuckle from the man, in response.

"I know only too well what you mean, my friend. Do we have clearance to land?" the man asked.

"Yes. Go right ahead." ground control replied, before the radio went quiet, once again.

"_Now, to see if the Machine Empire has placed a bounty on my head_..." the man mused, as he guided the plane towards the runway; doing his best to hide his misgivings about this decision from his son, and the precocious wolf pup in his arms.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

"Falko Harlock, eh? You've got a pretty infamous surname, if I do say so myself." one of the officers on the airbase said, when he'd gotten a good look at the man's pilot license and identification.

"Many have said the same." the man replied, calmly, as he watched his son look out the window at the different aircraft on the nearby runway. They were now within one of the small buildings near the airfield; one that was just adjacent to the hangars and supply buildings. The inside was as plain as the outside, with only a few momentos to show that a human being even lived within it.

"What were you doing so far away from civilian airspace? Granted, this base hasn't been here very long, but you still should have known it was here." the officer said, as he handed the paperwork back to the pilot.

"My son and I have just moved to Europe, so we're still getting used to the lay of the land. Flying just seemed, then, the best way of doing that." Falko replied, calmly.

"I see...But you're a brave man, regardless. I never would have expected to see an aircraft as old as that fly into our airspace." the officer said; casting an appreciative glance at the restored plane as he did so. At this, Falko allowed a smile to cross his scarred face.

"I guess you could say that I am an airplane enthusiast. Before the war, I used to restore antique aircraft for a living." Falko stated.

"Then you'd better talk to Kai while you're here. I'm sure he'd leap at the chance to meet another man who enjoys flying in old aircraft." the officer muttered, yet not without a chuckle and a shake of the head for added emphasis.

"Just might, before we leave." Falko murmured, even as a feeling of an impending, life-altering event loomed within him.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

The sight of a comical little man standing there within yards of the Arcadia, drooling as his eyes roved over the gleaming metal, was enough to make Falko smile again; this time in amusement.

"Greetings. I take it you're the 'Kai' one of the officers on this base had referred to?" Falko asked, causing the little man to jump slightly and whirl around to face him; watching as a broad grin replaced the startled expression on his round face.

"Yep! That'll be me! Kai Oyama's the name! Pleased to meet you!" the little man said, amiably.

"And it's good to meet you." Falko replied, even though a feeling of deja vu was passing through him.

"This plane is in fantastic shape! You've done a phenomenal job refurbishing her!" Kai stated, appreciatively, as he walked over and patted the side of the old plane fondly.

"Thanks. This plane in particular is my favorite, since it had belonged to an ancestor of mine." Falko said, as he stood alongside the diminutive man.

"And mine as well, Dad!" Fritz shouted, breaking his unusual silence. Silvereye uttered a yip in agreement. This got a chuckle from Kai, even as he gave the plane a wondering look.

"That seems to be true. In any event, anything with the name 'Arcadia' seems to be indestructible." Kai said, conspiratorially; whispering so he could be certain that no one outside of their group heard him.

"Well, I'm not as certain about that...But, if you meant against time and the elements, then yes. It seems to have had the will to remain despite the centuries passing around it." Falko agreed; seemingly surprised at having found a kindred spirit in the smaller man.

"Got that right. By the way, what's your name? You'd said one of your ancestors had flown in this plane, so that must make you a member of that same family." Kai stated; proving that he had a sharp mind behind the seemingly simple facade of an airplane enthusiast.

"Falko Harlock, and this is my son Fritz." Falko introduced; smirking when Silvereye barked again to remind them that he was there, as well.

"And his friend, young Silvereye." Falko added, almost as an afterthought. Again, the smaller man grinned.

"Then it's definitely good to meet you! I never thought I'd be lucky enough to meet two members of the Harlock Clan! In fact, ever since I'd come out here, it seemed that my luck had finally hit rock bottom. Glad to know I was wrong!" Kai said, cheerfully, as he started leading them towards the mess hall.

"It remains to be seen if meeting us has been good luck for you. As of now...I am currently on the run." Falko admitted; keeping his voice soft so he wouldn't be overheard.

"On the run? Why?" Kai asked, curiously, as he went ahead and got them some food while he was at it. At this, Falko's expression darkened.

"I refused to surrender...refused to break under the rule of the mechanized men. I'd even grounded my former command permanently, before handing in my resignation." Falko murmured, as they sat down at a table nearest the door.

"Sounds like somethin' a Harlock would do." Kai stated; nodding as he did so.

"The _**Octavian**_'s gone?" Fritz asked, his tone more than a little saddened, as he looked up at his father. Falko reluctantly nodded; knowing how much the ship had meant to the boy.

"_I'd always promised him that I would take him out into the Sea of Stars on his tenth birthday_..._but I never got the chance to fulfill it._" Falko mused, darkly, as he took a sip from the mug of coffee Kai had offered to him just moments before; the guilt over that broken promise hitting him like a ton of bricks.

"Looks like our only chance of getting us to freedom is to fly in that plane of yours'." Kai murmured, thoughtfully; these words getting a look of unadorned shock from Falko.

"But that plane is a single-seater! The only reason Fritz and Silvereye can fit in the cockpit with me is because they are still fairly small! How do you propose to ride along with us?" Falko asked; trying his best to keep his voice down, since more of the base's personnel were coming in for lunch. At this, Kai only offered him another grin.

"I'll ride in the tail of the plane. 'Sides, what kind of Oyama would I be, if I didn't at least try to fight by your side?" Kai said, then added, "And it's because of my being related to the infamous Tochiro Oyama that I've been made a virtual prisoner here, on this base."

"You're a prisoner? But you're not wearin' any chains..." Fritz said; trailing off when he got a warning look from his father for the comment. Yet it only got a chuckle from Kai, and a shake of his head.

"Your kid is very observant, Falko! No, I don't wear any physical chains, but the people here have imprisoned me by destroying my own aircraft before I can get them to fly...I can only hope they'll forego doing that to your plane until after they've eaten." Kai muttered; watching as a look of barely contained alarm crossed Falko's face, and his eyes widened marginally.

"Then we've gotta hurry! I don't want Arcadia to be destroyed too!" Fritz said, worriedly, and as Silvereye whimpered in agreement.

"Try not to worry, kiddo. We'll be long gone from here before they can even pick up their tools! Trust me on that!" Kai reassured, then gave Falko a look that said how much he trusted the taller man's piloting skills.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

And thus it was, as evening shadows fell over the small base, Falko made the Messerschmidt ready for flight again. This time, however, he opened the compartment in the tail of the plane, helped Kai get into it, fastened it back into place, and then hurriedly bundled his son and wolf pup back into the cockpit.

"You all right back there, Kai?" Falko asked, as he closed the cockpit and started the engine.

"Right as rain, Falko! Arcadia Hasshin!" Kai replied, eagerly; his voice sounding tinny over the comm-link.

"Dad, what does 'Hasshin' mean?" Fritz asked, as he watched the propellor begin to move.

"It means 'take off'...And that is exactly what we're going to do." Falko said, with daring beginning to emerge in his voice, as he revved the engine, and began the take-off procedure.

"Ground Control to civilian aircraft! What the hell are you doing?.! You don't have clearance to take off! Cut your engine and get out of your aircraft! Repeat! Cut your engine!" the ground controller shouted, as the plane began to pick up speed.

"In the words of some of my former British crewmen, 'Bugger Off'!" Falko retorted, before cutting off the radio, and speeding down the runway.

"Arcadia, Hasshin!" Falko cried, as the plane left the tarmac, and soared into the nighttime sky.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Meanwhile, on the bridge of a very well-known space pirate ship, a certain captain paused in what he was doing when a chill rushed down his spine.

"What is it, Harlock? Is something the matter?" someone asked. For a moment, Harlock's eye narrowed, then he shook his head and sighed.

"It felt for a moment as though something had just happened on earth. What it is, I don't know...It was almost like someone's fighting spirit has just been re-ignited." Harlock murmured, thoughtfully, as he gazed at the monitors, and their images of the earth below them.

"Should we go and investigate? It could be the Noo raisin' their ugly heads again." one of the member of the crew said, with some irritation in his voice.

"We'll wait. If it looks like another threat of that nature, then we'll act. It's too soon to tell, at this point." Harlock said, calmly, even though he could sense something familiar about the spirit that had regained its' courage and dignity.

"_But what could it be, I wonder?_" Harlock mused, as he sat back in his chair; scratching the ears of a pitch-black wolf absently as he did so.

Author's Note!

Not much to say, this time, except at some point, I'll have to draw these guys so I'll know what they look like, lol! Hope this was an 'all right' chapter, despite it being so quick!

Gemini14


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

To say that the next couple days of flight were hair-raising, would have been an understatement. Using every trick he knew, Falko skillfully evaded attacks from the hated mechanized empire; his old Messerschmitt proving to be more than a match for the faster, sleeker fighters.

"_Too bad there's nowhere to land in this area_..._I'm starting to get tired._" Falko mused, then said, "Still okay back there, Kai?"

"Never better! Stop worrying so much, Falko!" Kai replied, nonchalantly.

"Okay, just making sure. We're approaching what looks like a mountain range, so the going might get a bit tough. Hang on back there." Falko stated, as he gazed at the natural barrier between them and freedom.

"Hey Dad! Those mountains look just like the ones in your book!" Fritz commented, as he pointed out something in the leather-bound tome in his lap. For a brief moment, Falko took his attention off of flying and glanced at the page the boy had turned to; his face paling when he saw that his son was right.

"_The Owens-Stanleys! Oh hell! The same mountain range Phantom Harlock had tried and almost failed to cross over!_" Falko thought, as dread laid it's cold hands over his heart. As it was, legend had it that the range was haunted by the ghost of a witch...and every flight over it had been plagued with no shortage of problems. From engine failures to fuel shortages, pilots had been faced with all manner of mishaps trying the same thing they were now facing. And it was also said that, every time a pilot left the range in defeat, they could hear the witch laughing at them.

"The Owens-Stanley Witch...Never thought I would actually have to face this particular monster..." Falko muttered, as he breathed out a shaky sigh, and then focused solely on his flying; pitting every ounce of his skill against the mountains that had defeated so many pilots before him.

"Don't worry! If your ancestor could do it, then so can you! Have faith in yourself and your piloting skills!" Kai encouraged; having heard the note of dread in Falko's tone and addressing it with his usual enthusiasm. For a moment, it seemed as though Falko was uncertain how to take Kai's advice, then he got a thumb's up from Fritz as added encouragement.

"You can do it, Dad!" Fritz said, with a reassuring smile.

"Go for it! Go for it!" Silvereye barked, then added, "You won't know until you try!" At this, Falko couldn't help but agree. It was either attempt the impossible, or allow his enemies to capture them...or worse.

"_It's now or never._" Falko thought, as he determinedly began his ascent; ignoring the chilling note the winds outside of his plane had taken, when that decision had been firmly made.

…………………………………

He'd been awakened from sound sleep by the sudden chill down his back.

"_Shit. If I'd known that you could catch a cold in space, I would've gotten a flu shot the last time I was in a human colony!_" Young Harlock groused, as he reluctantly sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Upon looking at the clock across the room, he could see that it was just barely six in the morning; definitely NOT a good time to be waking up. And yet, here he was, wide awake.

"_But what woke me? Now that I think about it, I don't feel sick_..._Was it some kind of premonition?_" Young Harlock wondered, as he got out of bed and made his way to his desk. Surprisingly, the light signaling that he had a message waiting to be heard was flashing; prompting him, out of curiosity, to see what it was. He was even further surprised at the voice he heard on the message.

"I need to speak with you, Young Harlock. Reply when you wake up." the elder Harlock's voice commanded; his tone sounding tense and a bit uneasy to the younger pirate captain.

"_But what could've unnerved Dad to the point that he'd call so early? Did he sense something as well?_" Young Harlock wondered, as he sat down in front of his desk and pulled up the screen for his private comm. Immediately, the image of his father appeared on his screen.

"I take it you felt something as well?" Harlock asked, not even bothering with greetings, and getting straight to the point.

"Yeah. But what was it?" Young Harlock in turn questioned; feeling just as confused as his father now allowed himself to look. The older man then shook his head.

"No idea." Harlock muttered.

"This chill that seems to come and go...isn't it more akin to one of your human sayings?" a voice asked from beside Young Harlock, as its' owner sat down beside the younger captain.

"Human sayings?" Harlock asked, with a hint of confusion in his voice.

"I think what Fang means is that old saying about 'someone walking over your grave'. Now that he mentions it, it does have that sort of feel to it..." Young Harlock mused, aloud.

"Yet, why would only the both of you feel it? Why hasn't it happened to anyone else, yet?" another wolf, this one on the older Harlock's side of the transmission, questioned; bringing up a very interesting point.

"Good question." Young Harlock muttered; cringing when a yelp and some cursing in Japanese came from the direction of Tochiro's room.

"I believe we spoke too soon..." Fang murmured, as some complaints of something being cold left Tochiro's mouth. At this, both fathers and sons deadpanned.

"The understatement of the century, son." Lightningtooth mumbled, in agreement, as the rest of the _**DeathShadow**_ found itself rudely awakened by Tochiro's foul mood.

………………………………….

Falko fought bravely to retain his control over the Messerschmitt, as the winds buffeted them about mercilessly.

"I'd say the witch is 'alive' and well, wouldn't you agree?" Kai asked, rhetorically.

"That much is definitely very easily seen." Falko muttered; gritting his teeth as he evaded another avalanche caused by the violent winds.

"We're almost over! A little bit farther and we'll beat the Witch!" Silvereye said, when he'd spotted a break in the snow-laden winds, and the thick clouds beneath them.

"Good. I look forward to bidding this Witch a fond farewell!" Falko mumbled, as he put the engine's remaining power into the final hurtle between them and safety. His heart skipped a beat when he heard the engine sputter a little bit; signaling that it was running low on energy.

"Come on, Arcadia...Don't give up now..." Falko muttered, as he urged it onwards; sensing just how 'tired' the little plane now was, "You've come this far...You can't give up now!" As though responding to his words, the plane seemingly surged back to life, carried them through the clouds and into a safe descent. All in the plane shuddered when they heard, in the back of their minds, the infuriated screech of the Owens-Stanley Witch...Her rage over losing her most recent prey easily seen and felt.

"Whew. Glad the Witch isn't a real woman! She'd be hell to date!" Kai said, with a nervous laugh. This earned him a slight sigh from Falko, and some laughter from Fritz and Silvereye, as well.

"Only you could joke about something like that, Kai, my friend." Falko muttered, dryly; patting the controls of the Arcadia and silently commending the plane for it's mighty efforts as he said that.

"So, how far from Arcadia are we now, Dad?" Fritz asked, as the plane descended through the clouds; blinking when they emerged from them into the sunlit fields of eastern Europe.

"Not too far, now. Just another day's flight time, maybe less." Falko murmured; glancing quickly around to get his bearings, and then ascending again.

"So tomorrow we're gonna be in the land of your ancestors, eh? Wonder what that'll be like?" Kai said, thoughtfully.

"Not sure. I've never been there, so it will be a first for me...I just hope we'll be welcome there." Falko stated, softly; hope and dread warring for supremacy deep in his heart as he thought about it.

"_I just hope that the cowardice of Hagen Harlock has been forgotten. I don't know what we'll do, if it hasn't._" Falko worriedly thought, as he returned his attention to flying; not voicing his misgivings to any of them as the plane cut through the cool mountain air.

Author's Note!

Again, another short chapter. But this story is progressing fairly quickly (and I'm rather pleased with how it's turned out, so far!) Hope it was all right!

Gemini14


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

The rest of the flight was relatively quiet, as the Messerschmitt flew unchallenged through the clear blue sky.

"Seems we've evaded our enemies for now, doesn't it?" Kai asked, when he'd noticed that Falko wasn't having to evade something every five minutes.

"It does seem that way…..I wonder if it has anything to do with our close proximity to the land of Arcadia?" Falko murmured, keeping his voice low, since Fritz and Silvereye were once again asleep.

"No telling. Even though Captain Harlock is still in space, and doesn't come down to earth often, his reputation is enough to keep his enemies away from his homeland." Kai stated, then added, "It also seems to help that you're a member of the Harlock Clan, too. They're probably thinkin' that he'll avenge you if they take you out so close to Arcadia."

"Possibly. Though I'm not so certain that I will even be accepted as such, by him. My direct ancestor had dishonored the family name….." Falko sighed; jerking slightly when Kai uttered what sounded almost like an annoyed sigh of his own.

"But you're not your ancestor! In fact, you held out even longer than the rest of the Terrestrial Military! The name of the _**Octavian**_ was a name often said with dread by those damned metal men! Your courage and stubbornness were enough to mark you as a criminal in their eyes! 'Sides, young Fritz doesn't seem in the least bit ashamed of his blood, nor is he worried about who he was descended from!" Kai admonished, impatiently.

"All of what you have said is true, Kai……yet the uncertainty is a hurtle that will have to be conquered once we arrive." Falko agreed.

"You've already achieved some things even your ancestors wouldn't have. Getting this plane to fly again, and crossing over the Owens-Stanley Mountains were definitely a good start." Kai stated; trying to encourage the other man as much as he could from where he was.

"I still feel as though I had run when I should have stayed and fought. That is the doubt that plagues me, right now." Falko admitted, doubtfully.

"You wouldn't have stood a chance, Falko. Right now, those metalheads have got you outgunned and outmanned. More than likely, they would've killed you and your son without hesitation…..and without even a shred of honor. Running away, in this instance, wasn't an act of cowardice; instead, it was to save the life of your son." Kai said; now finally seeing the core reason why Falko saw himself as a coward, and addressing it as well as he could.

"Then the Harlock Clan wouldn't think less of me, if any still remain?" Falko questioned. This earned him a snort from the diminutive man.

"Hell, I think even Captain Harlock himself would've done the same, if he were faced with the same situation." Kai stated, matter-of-factly.

"I can only wonder…." Falko murmured, at that. He looked aside when a different voice came in through the radio.

"This is Arcadia Ground Control to civilian plane. Do you read?" a calm voice asked; the sound of the unfamiliar voice rousing both Silvereye and Fritz.

"Loud and clear, ground control." Falko responded; pushing his uncertainty to the back of his mind, and readying himself for whatever happened next.

"Good. What brings you here?" ground control questioned.

"Seeking sanctuary within the land itself, for the time being." Falko replied, sounding calmer than he actually felt, at that moment. For a few moments, all they heard was the sounds of some men talking between themselves about this, and then another voice spoke up.

"Go ahead and land. We'll decide by looking at your paperwork if you're trustworthy or not." Ground control stated, authoritatively.

"Will do." Falko agreed, then tensely thought, "_This is where things get interesting_….." Little did he realize just how interesting it would prove to be, in just a short while….

………………………….

The decision had been made, between the two pirate captains, that only the father's ship would make the descent into the earth's atmosphere; leaving the _**DeathShadow**_ waiting in orbit in case they needed backup.

"Wonder what the land of Arcadia is like?" Tochiro murmured, as he gazed at the view-screen above them.

"No idea….." Young Harlock stated; turning to look when his father spoke to him from his position at the ship's wheel.

"You weren't born there?" Harlock questioned, a bit confusedly. Young Harlock shook his head.

"I was born near Old Berlin. Still can't figure out why, though." Young Harlock replied, as he sat down in one of the empty gunner chairs and sighed wearily.

"_It seems the only one who truly knew why was Maya_…." Harlock mused, then looked determinedly at the screen. This would be his first time back within his homeland since before his banishment, almost thirty years prior. From what he could see, not much of the land had been changed; a fact that seemed to amaze him even more than he'd thought.

"_Would anyone I had known then still be alive? So much time has passed_….." Harlock thought, as a hint of doubt emerged within him, and then he banished it again. It was probably for the best that his acquaintances were dead, since they couldn't see the man that he had been until just recently.

"Where should we land, Captain?" Kei asked, from her position.

"Within the forest. There should be enough cover to hide the ship till we can find out what is going on." Harlock replied, quietly. This got a chorus of 'Ayes' from the crew on deck as a response. Yet, upon looking at Young Harlock, he could see that the younger man was struggling to stay awake.

"_He must not have gotten too much sleep last night, since these chills are occurring even more frequently than before_….._And his injuries from that bastard Kichigai have been slow to heal, up until this point._" Harlock mused, then added, "_A small sign that we're closing in on whatever this is._"

"Young Harlock, Tochiro." Harlock called; getting their attention almost immediately.

"Yeah, Dad?" Young Harlock asked, as he looked back at his father, and as Tochiro did the same.

"Be discrete in your dealings with the people here; we don't know who now holds control over this land." Harlock said, as looks of understanding appeared in their eyes. They knew only too well what he meant.

"Captain, should we stand by in case something happens?" Yattaran asked. He got a solemn nod from the elder pirate captain as a response.

"Yes. Since the sickbay has been restocked, Doc Zero should be able to handle whatever injuries might be suffered here." Harlock stated; giving Lightningtooth a dry look when said wolf muttered something under his breath about him being a 'ray of sunshine', and getting a slight snicker from his own crew, both young men, and Fang for that.

……………………….

Thus it was, as Captain Harlock, Young Harlock, Tochiro Jr., Fang, and Lightningtooth disembarked from the _**Arcadia**_, so too, were the runaway trio getting out of their antique airplane.

"I never thought just stretching my legs could feel so good! That was one helluva ride, Falko!" Kai joked; giving the pilot of the plane a grin as he said that.

"Well, at least we are free of that particular base. It remains to be seen, however, if we'll be free to remain in Arcadia." Falko said, with a 'this is the thanks I get' tone in his voice. Fritz, in the meantime, was equally as glad to be able to move around again, and seemed eager to play in the beautiful land before them.

"Don't worry so much! At least now we can take it easy for a little bit, and get a chance to rest up before we fly off again." Kai reassured, as he watched one man come out of one of the small buildings in the simple airport and walk towards them.

"True." Falko agreed; relaxing minutely and then looking down at his son, "Go ahead, Fritz. Go play. But try not to wander too far." He got a smile and a laugh from the boy for this, before both child and wolf pup eagerly dashed off.

…………………….

The sight of the untouched land brought a strange sense of disbelieving numbness upon Young Harlock, as he gazed at it. Standing there, on the very edge of the forest, he could barely believe that the land before him was even real.

"_The earth is under the iron rule of the Machine Men_……_and yet, this place looks to have been virtually unscathed by it! Why?_" Young Harlock wondered; not even turning when his father placed a hand on his shoulder, yet feeling his semi-concerned gaze all the same.

"Never thought I'd see a land that has been completely left alone by those damned metalheads, like this one!" Tochiro muttered, as he looked at the sunlit fields as well.

"Same here. Wherever those bastards go, they always tear apart anything that isn't mechanized, and leave it in ruins." Young Harlock agreed; eyes narrowing as he said that.

"There are probably still some that are holding them at bay, here…..And that is the main reason why this land is still free." Harlock murmured, knowing from experience that the emotional wounds left by war were among the slowest ones to heal; his son being a prime example of that, now. The younger captain's eyes were colder, his hatred of the Machine Men in particular darkening the color of his eyes as he remembered what they had done to him, and others, during the war.

"We'll split up here. I trust each of you has a comm-link of some kind?" Lightningtooth asked; getting a nod from each of the three humans in response.

"Call in if you find anything…..and try not to get into any trouble." Harlock muttered; the latter part of his comment getting smirks from both his son and Tochiro Jr.

"We wouldn't be respectable space pirates if we didn't find some sort of trouble to get into!" Tochiro stated, with a laugh. The elder Harlock could only sigh at this; he knew it too well.

"Then let me put it this way; try not to get captured by any madmen with delusions of godhood." Harlock said, noticing when Young Harlock scowled at the vague reference to Kichigai, in that statement.

"It won't come to that. That much I can promise." Young Harlock growled, as he fingered both his Cosmo Dragoon and gravity saber to reassure himself that they were there; his tone promising death to any who even attempted such torture on him again.

"I'm gonna go find a bar. Maybe in there, I can start finding some clues." Tochiro said, with a grin.

"Or get yourself tanked. You can barely even handle sake! What makes you think you'll be able to handle German beer?" Young Harlock asked, with an arched eyebrow and a slight smile, his usual good humor beginning to return as he teased his friend. With a slight shake of his head, Harlock began to walk off; hiding the smirk that came to his scarred features as he did so.

"Those two are certainly a handful. Hope Fang won't have too much trouble with them." Lightningtooth murmured, as he also chuckled at the banter passing between the two younger men.

"Young Harlock I'm not all that worried about. It's Tochiro Jr. that we'll probably have to rescue, before the day is out." Harlock muttered; smiling fondly as he remembered those times when Tochiro Sr. would get himself into fixes, and he'd have to come and bail him out.

"Too true. And yet, as with his father before him, he always returns the favor tenfold." Lightningtooth added. At this, the smile on Harlock's scarred face began to fade.

"I agree with you there, old friend……I just wish we could have found the cure for that illness before it could get so advanced. If that could have been done, then maybe Young Harlock and Tochiro Jr. wouldn't have had to endure the Machine War." Harlock murmured, as old guilt placed its' weighted claws into him again.

"As much as I wish the same, Harlock, it was probably for the best. Tochiro Sr. knows this as well as you do. If he hadn't died, then those two would not have become the men they are today. The Machine War is what shaped them into the proud pirates they have become …just as much as the Illumidas War had shaped you." Lightningtooth said; knowing that it was difficult for his human friend to let go of the guilt and self-loathing for getting there too late to even bury his best friend.

"And yet…..what parent doesn't wish the best for his child, Lightning?" Harlock questioned, somberly, as he walked on; his head lowered almost in shame, and his eye downcast.

…………………………..

"Sanctuary? That is what you're seeking here? Why?" the official asked, after he'd heard the tale from both Falko and Kai about their narrow escapes from the Machine Empire.

"As stated before, we are both currently refugees with nowhere else to go. My own home was, quite literally, blown to atoms just minutes after take-off." Falko replied; his ire rising slightly when the official raised an eyebrow at this.

"And why did you run? You discredit the Harlock name just by those actions alone…." The official said, contemptuously, as he cast a disgusted glance Falko's pilot's license and paperwork.

"My son's safety is worth more to me than my lost honor. If you can't accept me, then at least let Kai and Fritz remain within your borders, where it is safe." Falko said, as evenly as he possibly could; tamping down on the desire to personally strangle the infuriating individual before him. At this, Kai could only give him a shocked look.

"We'll discuss this decision amongst ourselves at the next meeting." The official stated, as he leaned back in his chair, and gazed out the window.

"And when will that be?" Kai asked; his voice rough with an emotion similar to anger.

"Tonight. We will let you know of our decision in the morning. That will be all." The official said, dismissively, then promptly had his aide show the two men out. Once they were outside, Kai uttered a few foul-sounding epithets in Japanese that Falko was certain would have caused his ancestors to role over in their graves more than just once.

"That pompous yarou! Why do scum like him get positions like that?.! Shit!" Kai snarled, as he gave the office the evil eye from over his shoulder.

"No idea. In any case, it seems my time in this land may be briefer than I'd thought." Falko murmured, as the reality of the situation drove itself right into his soul. He may soon have to say goodbye to his son…..possibly forever.

"Kai, can you do me a favor?" Falko asked, his tone soft and subdued.

"Sure. Fire away." Kai replied.

"Do you think you can find an inn to stay in for the night? I need to go and find Fritz." Falko said; keeping his face averted from Kai, so the smaller man wouldn't be able to see the sorrow there.

"Yeah. I'll meet ya in town, then." Kai said, after a moment; watching silently as Falko started to walk away; his head lowered in defeat.

"_After such a hard, courageous struggle_….._That it should end like this_……_I've gotta find everybody and see if anything can be done to stop this from happening!_" Kai thought, as he started running purposefully towards the closest town; his determination to keep the father and son together fully rekindled.

……………………

Meanwhile, unaware of his father's imminent banishment from Arcadia, Fritz explored the land of his forefathers, with an equally eager wolf pup by his side.

"This place is great! It's no wonder my ancestors had wanted to protect it!" Fritz said, as he cheerfully followed one of the many paths; completely unafraid of wherever it took him.

"Got that right!" Silvereye agreed, wholeheartedly. All around them, the beauty of nature was as untouched now, as it had been when the legendary Pirate Knight had guarded it.

"_Wonder if any of the other Harlocks are here?_" Fritz wondered, as he continued his meandering through the fertile land; not knowing that his path was about to be crossed with that of one of his relatives……

………………………..

Fang couldn't help but worriedly remain close to his friend's side, as they wandered alone along one of the paths. The farther they went, the more tired Young Harlock seemed to get.

"_Even though he's still young, it isn't good for him to be putting so much strain on his body. Kichigai's torture had almost killed him._" Fang mused, as he watched the young pirate finally sit down tiredly on a softly rolling hill.

"You look pale, my friend. Are your wounds still bothering you?" Fang asked, quietly, as he gazed up at his friend's face. Reluctantly, Young Harlock nodded.

"Thought I was all right, but I guess not. These damn wounds are taking their own sweet time healing." Young Harlock muttered, disgustedly, as he lay back on the soft grass with his arms folded behind his head; wincing slightly when the movement pulled on sore muscles.

"You need to learn to take things like this slow, my friend." Fang reminded; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the young pirate definitely didn't want to slow down.

"I know, I know. I got that lesson drilled into my head by not only my crew and Dad's crew, but also by Tochiro, Emeraldas, and Dad himself, as well!" Young Harlock mumbled; inwardly cursing himself for having forgotten (in a very loose sense) the pain medication he'd been ordered at gunpoint to take regularly until that day.

"And yet you still challenge that other captain…..Zero, I think his name was? Why?" Fang questioned; still trying to understand his friend's stance on that one. Even though the two men looked at one another as bitter rivals, a friendship could clearly be seen between them.

"What good knight doesn't want to test his skill against another of equal skill? I'd be doing a disservice to the Pirate Knight himself, if I didn't answer the challenge set by Zero and the _**Karyu**_." Young Harlock replied, his voice growing softer as sleep finally started to pull him into its' embrace.

"I suppose I understand what you mean by that…..but….." Fang said, trailing off when he noticed Young Harlock's eyes close, his breathing even out, and as a look of peace settled over his scarred features. With a rueful smile and a shake of his head, Fang could only recall what his father had said about the elder Harlock so long ago.

"_Keeping them out of trouble is indeed quite a task to undertake! I agree with you wholeheartedly there, Dad!_" Fang mused, as he lay down at Young Harlock's side; determined to guard his slumbering friend from anyone that would dare to harm him.

…………………….

The bar was fairly empty, as Kai took a seat away from the saloon-style door. So far, he was coming up empty-handed in his search for the rest of his 'compatriots'; worry and frustration mingling into one emotion within him. There wasn't that much time left, since Falko's imminent banishment would probably happen at nightfall…..And the remaining time was swiftly escaping from him.

"What can I get you, sir?" one of the barmaids asked, quietly, when she'd gotten close enough to his table to be heard.

"A beer, and whatever your special of the day is." Kai muttered, moodily. He didn't even look up when the girl scribbled the order in her notebook, and then hurried off to get it together.

"Yeesh. You're in a pretty foul mood. What's up?" a different voice asked, as it's owner sat down in the seat across from him.

"A good friend of mine is about to get sent out of this country because the damned officials think he's a coward. Those bastards don't even know what true courage is, since they threw away their pride as human beings years ago!" Kai growled, angrily; smacking the table before him with one fist, as he did so.

"I know what ya mean. My friend was faced with the same shit a couple of years ago, himself. But I'd managed to finish the overhaul on his ship before he could be banished by the earth government." His companion murmured, understandingly.

"I have a ship that's almost ready to fly…..But I don't know where it or it's crew is. I'd sent them here to finish the work on the hull and some of the inner workings, but they seemed to have vanished without a trace!" Kai stated, disparagingly.

"Hmm…..That is pretty bad…..Maybe I can help ya out?" the other man asked. At this, Kai looked up at him, and a slight look of disbelief crossed his round face when he saw exactly who it was he was talking to.

"Maybe….." Kai said, as some hope re-emerged within him, and a slight grin appeared on his face. He'd been so upset by what was happening to Falko, that he'd failed to notice that he was talking to the famous son of the Oyama Tochiro that had built the _**Arcadia**_ in the first place!

"Then, friend, let's get started!" the other little man said, enthusiastically.

"Right." Kai agreed, then said, "The name's Kai Oyama, by the way."

"Oyama Tochiro Jr., at your service!" the other man said, as they amiably shook hands and gave one another almost identical grins. Even though the day was fast going by, the future seemed just a little bit brighter for the father and son. And, as the two engineers rushed out of the bar to try and find some more leads, the young waitress returned to find a quickly scribbled note on the table, the payment for the uneaten meal, and a rather large tip waiting for her.

"Nausica? What seems to be the trouble?" the owner of the bar asked, as he gave the bewildered girl a curious look.

"I think that was Kai-san……but I can't be sure. You'd said that he's a member of the Oyama family, right?" the girl, Nausica, asked, in turn. Her question earned her a surprised yelp and the sound of her boss falling off of his chair in the back room.

"Shit! Yeah! If he's here, then he must've been able to escape from that damned base, and has found a captain for his ship!" the man said, a she rushed out and gave her an urgent look.

"Go and catch up with them! I'll gather the crew!" the man ordered. This got a decisive nod from the girl, before she also dashed out the door after the two small men; an excited smile lighting up her pretty features as she went. They were finally on the brink of leaving the enslaved earth behind for good…..and she couldn't wait to prove herself, and her navigating skills.

Author's Note!

After a long wait, here's the newest chapter! Hope this was all right!

Gemini14


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

His home was just as he remembered it. With the reverence only a pilgrim to a sacred site would show, Harlock slowly approached what had once been a sanctuary from harsh reality.

"Harlock?" Lightningtooth asked, when he'd noticed the misty look in the older man's eye, and that said man had paused in mid-stride. It was then that he too, was enveloped by the memories hidden in the place…..memories of days long gone…..long buried in the back of their minds.

"I remember the night you brought me here for the first time, old friend." Lightningtooth murmured, finally. This got a smirk from the pirate captain, in response.

"As do I……Mother and Grandfather chewed my ears off soundly that night…..mainly for being late." Harlock muttered, rolling his eye as he remembered the incident, and then sighing and shaking his head.

"Who would have thought that someone would have the courage to scold you, of all people?" Lightningtooth said, with a chuckle, as he led the way towards the front door.

"You know there are still people brave enough to do so now…..Lady Emeraldas, Maetel, and you, to name a few." Harlock said, with a deadpan expression appearing on his scarred features as he said so.

"And the Great Packs only know that you occasionally do need a good earful! Especially considering how you were acting before the Noo problem cropped up." Lightningtooth stated, "Wanting to die on a rubbish heap…..Quite shameful, actually."

"_When I am right, no one remembers_….._When I am wrong, no one forgets_….._Never have I known so true a statement, as in the last few minutes_……" Harlock groused; doing his best to ignore Lightningtooth's poking at his ego, and the wolf's snickers when he saw the vaguely chagrined look on the pirate captain's face at some of his comments.

…………………..

The warmth of the sun shining down on him, and the fact that he was getting his first real sleep in days, made Young Harlock completely unprepared for what occurred next. One moment, all was peaceful in the clearing where he'd lain down for the impromptu nap; the next, something furry had landed right on his face.

"Yikes! There's a dead body here! A dead body!" a childish voice yelped; its owner quickly scrambling to get off of the younger pirate captain's face as it did so.

"Who're you callin' dead?" Young Harlock mumbled, irritably, as he opened his eyes and slowly turned his head to look at the speaker. He was vaguely surprised to see a silver-furred wolf pup standing there, staring in shock at him.

"Where'd you come from, pup?" Fang asked, confusedly, from his place by Young Harlock's right side.

"Um…..America?" the pup replied, uncertainly; standing his ground when Fang approached and breathed in his scent.

"America? How did you get here, then?" Young Harlock asked, as he slowly sat up; doing his best to hide a grimace of pain as he did so.

"In 'Arcadia', my friend's father's plane! That's how!" the pup replied, enthusiastically; not noticing the hint of pain in Young Harlock's eyes, nor his confusion when the plane was mentioned.

"A plane named Arcadia, huh? So, where's this friend of yours? You know you're not supposed to abandon him under any circumstance." Fang said, sternly. Yet, before the pup could say anything, they heard a child's voice calling for someone from close by.

"Silvereye! Where'd you go? C'mon! We'd better head back before Dad starts worrying!" a boy's voice said, a bit concernedly.

"Over here, Fritz! Over here!" Silvereye yipped; happily bouncing around when his friend finally appeared in the clearing. Immediately, Fang was reminded of how Young Harlock had looked, the last time he'd seen his friend before their reunion on Kichigai's satellite. The boy's brown hair was windblown; falling into eyes that appeared to be grayish-brown in color. And yet, the boy didn't appear to be afraid of either Fang or Young Harlock in the slightest; he was startled at seeing them there, yes…..But definitely unafraid. A fact that they could see very clearly moments later, when the boy closed the distance between himself and Young Harlock, and looked concernedly at him.

"You okay?" The boy asked, surprising Young Harlock with his concern for his wellbeing, even though he was technically a stranger to him.

"Yeah. Just recovering from some injuries, that's all. No need to worry." Young Harlock replied; trying to set the boy's mind at ease with those words.

"Just makin' sure." The boy said, then added, "I'm Fritz Harlock! Who're you?"

"Phantom Harlock IV, otherwise known as 'Young' Harlock. Good to meet you, kid." Young Harlock said; shaking the boy's hand in greeting when he offered it to him.

"Good to meet you too! I was hopin' I'd meet somebody in my family from here! Do you know Captain Harlock?" Fritz asked, excitedly. At this, Young Harlock could only smile.

"That would be my dad." Young Harlock stated, yet could only inwardly wonder if he was ever as energetic as Fritz appeared to be.

"_Wonder if we put him inside the __**Arcadia**__'s halls, if he'd bounce off of 'em?_" Young Harlock wondered, smirking at the thought, and shaking his head.

"So your dad is the Captain Harlock? Awesome! Hope I'll get to meet him, too!" Fritz said, enthusiastically.

"Feh…..I just hope he doesn't mistake you for my son, kid." Young Harlock muttered, as he carefully got his feet; paling slightly when the movement pulled on his injuries, and leaving him leaning on a tree and gasping for breath.

"Maybe you should come back with us…..You aren't looking too good." Silvereye said, worriedly; having noticed the pained look in the space pirate's eyes even before Fang could.

"Not sure if that's such a good idea, seeing as he's an outlaw as well." Fang commented; reminding the child and pup of that.

"So are we! Dad didn't want to surrender the _**Octavian**_ to th' metalheads, so he grounded her, and then we flew away in the Arcadia! We flew across the Atlantic basin and even made it over the Owens-Stanley Mountains!" Fritz said, not realizing when the name of his father's ship got Young Harlock's attention.

"The _**Octavian**_…..? Your dad was her captain?" Young Harlock almost whispered. Fritz nodded.

"Yeah! Do you know my dad?" Fritz asked.

"I knew of 'im. He was the captain known only as 'Yasha' to the Terrestrial Military….Damn…..I knew he'd looked familiar…..Just never realized….." Young Harlock muttered; shaking his head in disbelief as he did so.

"Now you know what your father must've felt, when he'd found out you were his son, my friend." Fang said, with a slight smile.

"Damn straight…..and I'm wishing I had a bottle of sake right now, since I think I'd be pulling a La Miime too, at this point." Young Harlock jokingly said; now fully understanding his father's reaction that long-ago night.

"Who's La Miime?" Fritz asked, confusedly.

"Long story, kid." Young Harlock replied, as he forced himself to start moving; ruffling the boy's hair with one hand as he walked past.

"Where are we going now?" Fang questioned; knowing that the _**Arcadia**_ was in the opposite direction from where Young Harlock was heading.

"Might as well try to meet this kid's father halfway back to wherever he'd come from. This might seem like a safe country…..But I'm not willing to trust it. When things seem too good to be true, they usually are." Young Harlock murmured, bitterly.

"Too true…." Fang agreed; knowing that the risks of leaving a child of the Harlock Clan outside alone were just too great.

……………………

The hunters had arrived within hours of the call being sent out. Within his office, and gazing out a window at the fertile land of Arcadia, the military governor could only wonder just what was going on now.

"_First there were the reports of a runaway captain of the former Terrestrial Military_….._And now I have learned that the __**Arcadia**__ has returned, and the __**DeathShadow**__ is waiting for it. It seems my old rival is once again on earth._" The man mused, as his eyes narrowed at the thought. Long ago, he had also been vying for the attentions of the lovely Maya, the Voice of Radio Free Arcadia…..only to be rejected by her, and have her choose the pirate, instead.

"_Maya, if only you had chosen me! You would probably still be alive and well, if you had!_" the military governor thought, bitterly, as old hatred and resentment returned to the forefront. For almost thirty years, he'd waited for this opportunity to finally resolve the conflict between himself and the pirate captain…..And now was the time to act.

"Baron, the council is gathered and ready to hear your vote on whether this man, Falko Harlock, should be allowed to stay within our borders." One man said, as he entered; flinching slightly when the military governor gave him an unreadable look.

"I will be there shortly." The 'baron' said, as he rose from his seat at his desk; yet pausing and looking sadly at the painting of a blond-haired, blue-eyed woman as he did so.

"_Soon, Maya_….._soon that damned pirate will pay for letting you die. I will make sure of that!_" the baron thought, venomously, before striding confidently out of the room. He didn't even notice when something odd happened to the painting. For the briefest of moments, it seemed to glow softly, then a tear welled in the woman's left eye, and trailed down her cheek…..

………………………..

Relief was all Falko could feel, for a moment, when he spotted his son and pet wolf from a distance; that feeling swiftly giving way to confusion and surprise when he saw who walked alongside the boy. Even though the man appeared fairly young, he wore a captain's collar proudly on his uniform…..yet he was also struck with a feeling of familiarity, all the same.

"_Why, I wonder? Where have I met that man before?_" Falko thought, curiously, as he quickened his pace to meet them.

"Fritz!" Falko called, when he was close enough.

"Dad! Look! He's a Harlock too!" Fritz shouted, happily, as he dashed up to his father; leaving the rather bemused-looking 'captain' to catch up with him.

"Really….?" Falko asked, as dread again reared its' ugly head. He was now face-to-face with a member of the Harlock Clan that wasn't from the disgraced half of the family…..Just how would this fellow react to hearing his name?

"Come now, sir. My friend is a space pirate, not an executioner!" the black wolf at the pirate's side quipped, when he'd noticed the expression on Falko's face. Startled from his self-deprecating thoughts, Falko looked at the wolf by the young man's side, and then at the pirate himself. He could see the deadpan expression beginning to form on his scarred face, and when said pirate gave the wolf a dry look.

"Great analogy, Fang." The pirate muttered, then glanced at Falko again, "You wouldn't happen to be 'Yasha', would you?"

"Yes. I was known as Yasha during the war. But how would you know that?" Falko questioned, bewilderingly. This got a smirk from the pirate before he answered him.

"I served aboard the _**Vengeance**_ during the war…..and was one of her commanding officers when the Machine Men broke through. I'd heard quite a lot about you, and was even at one time slated to be inducted into the _**Octavian**_'s crew." The pirate said, solemnly, then added, "It's a shame such a great ship had had to be scuttled in order to keep their damned metal hands off of it…..At least it wasn't a rustbucket like the _**Vengeance**_ had been towards the end." At this, Falko allowed himself a slight smile.

"True enough…..Though I envied her captain, since he had some of the finest officers of any command I had ever seen. Are you the only one left?" Falko questioned.

"Yeah. I was the First Officer. All of the remaining officers and crew have either been executed or mechanized, by now. The captain was killed during that last battle." The pirate murmured.

"I see….." Falko said, as understanding appeared in his eyes, "So you're that Phantom Harlock, then…..I'd always wondered if it were a coincidence or not."

"Same here." The pirate agreed, and then asked, "What's your true name, then?"

"Falko Harlock." Falko replied, then guiltily added, "A descendant of a man who had turned his back on homeland and family to run from a war."

"Why should that make any difference?" the pirate captain asked; surprising Falko with the words, and his tone of voice.

"The two sides of the family have been estranged for a little over one thousand years! And yet…..there seems to be no memory of it, aside from what the officials here had been taught….." Falko said, falteringly. At this, Phantom uttered a slight sigh, and shook his head in mild irritation.

"For a man who had held out against the Machine Men even longer than my own father had against the Illumidas during the Illumidas Occupation, there was the thought you'd still have at least some pride left! As Fang had said, I'm a space pirate. I'm not going to execute you because of some shortsightedness on that ancestor's part. I've played the part of an orphan before, and, believe me, I would never want to see Fritz go through that hell." Phantom growled, as he reached out and gripped Falko's shoulder in his right hand, "You're a Harlock, man; start acting like one!" At first, all Falko could do was stare in shock at the younger man, and then a true smile appeared on his face.

"I never thought I would be lectured by a man who is fifteen years my junior! Let alone another member of my family!" Falko admitted, ruefully.

"Kai had lectured you, Dad." Fritz said, matter-of-factly.

"You heard that conversation?" Falko asked, as he gave his son an abashed look. Fritz nodded.

"I did too!" Silvereye yipped. Falko could only sigh and place a hand to his face in exasperation.

"And here I'd thought you two had been asleep! That should teach me!" Falko muttered, then gave the younger captain a slight smirk, "And it helps to hear from someone within the family that I have the right to walk with pride…..and put Hagen Harlock's mistakes where they rightfully belong, in the past."

"Something you three will soon be a part of." A sinister voice growled, as the owner of it emerged from the growing shadows.

"Damn…..Hunters…." Young Harlock hissed, as he watched more emerge from the woods behind them; cutting off the route to the _**Arcadia**_, completely.

"We may have to fight our way out of this. Have you got some kind of gun on you, Falko?" Young Harlock asked, as he prepared to draw his gravity saber and Cosmo Dragoon.

"I still have my army issue." Falko replied, his tone taking on a deadly edge, when he saw one of the hunters appear far too close to Fritz for comfort.

"Good….." Young Harlock said, then fired off a shot from his gravity saber that hit one hunter square in the chest. A split second later, Fang had swiftly brought down two more; having torn out their throats even faster than they could blink.

"The town's this way! Follow me!" Falko shouted, as he started to lead the way; knowing now, for a fact, that they were grossly outnumbered.

"_I hope Dad's having better luck than we are, right now!_" Young Harlock thought, as Falko grabbed Fritz and Silvereye, and they both made a mad dash in that direction, with Fang right behind them.

………………………

The evening shadows were darkening, as Mira made her way home.

"_I never would have thought that going to the market would take so long! It seems Baron Darghund has raised the prices on the goods, yet again_….._making it very difficult for many still living here to pay. Just what is he hoping to achieve by doing this?_" Mira wondered, tiredly, and an old sadness emerged within her. It seemed like only yesterday that her husband had still been alive…..and she had since given up on her son, especially since his ship had disappeared and hadn't been heard from in fifteen years.

"_And those reports of the __**Arcadia**__ being seen entering Earth's atmosphere again_….._It could just be Darghund trying to stir the people up again._" Mira mused, bitterly, as she neared the house; unprepared for what would happen next.

…………………….

Harlock could see without even needing his missing eye that nothing had really been changed, since the last time he'd been within the house. Everything, even the pictures on the wall, was the same…..the only thing that seemed to have changed was the fact that his own grandfather was gone.

"It seems a bit hard to believe, doesn't it?" Lightningtooth murmured, a bit sadly, as he watched his human companion wander around the living areas as though he were nothing more than a spirit.

"Indeed it does. When I left this place, I was a young man with his whole life ahead of him…..and now I have returned…..older, but not necessarily wiser." Harlock quietly said, as his gaze fell on the picture his grandfather had shown him, so long ago.

"I wonder if I have lived up to SwiftPaws' memory, thus far?" Lightningtooth asked, absently. This got a wan smile from Harlock, before he strode over to him and scratched his ears fondly.

"You've done a better job of honoring memories than I have, old friend. That much I can tell you, beyond a shadow of a doubt." Harlock said; perking slightly when he heard what sounded like someone entering the house, and setting something down.

"_Wonder if this is someone I know?_" Harlock thought, as he stood up straight and gazed in the direction the sounds were coming from. He blinked when another light was turned on, and felt his heart almost stop when a familiar woman stepped into the room. She was a tall, yet delicate woman with light brown hair and hazel eyes. At first, she didn't appear to notice him, since she still had her arms full of what appeared to be groceries. Without another thought, he approached her; freezing again when she abruptly dropped the bags of goods and whipped out a small laser pistol…..only to drop that as well, a few seconds later in surprise.

"Ph-phantom?" the woman stammered, in shock, then she took a closer look at him; tears brimming in her eyes when she realized who she was looking at, and saw the warm look in Harlock's single eye.

"Mother." Harlock murmured, softly; letting her tearfully wrap her arms around his neck and cry into his cloaked shoulder.

"I can't believe it! You're alive! The Illumidas didn't kill you!" the woman sobbed, as she gazed at his scarred face, "But they took your right eye!"

"And Maya." Harlock added, somberly.

"I remember….." she murmured, somberly, then added, "But look at you! Your father would have been so proud!" This the woman said, confidently, as she finally calmed down enough to release him from her embrace, and wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Would he? There are times when I am not so sure." Harlock replied, a bit shamefully.

"I know he would. You're his son; how could he not be proud of you?" the woman gently asked; yet seemed surprised when she got a vague smile from Harlock for that.

"I abandoned my own son. The first time, unwittingly; the second, purposefully…..And yet, he does not despise me for it." Harlock stated; fully aware when his mother gave him a shocked look.

"Wait…..Your son? You have a son?" the woman whispered. Harlock nodded.

"Yes. Maya gave birth to a son during the Occupation. Phantom Harlock IV….your grandson." Harlock replied, as an expression of hope appeared in the woman's eyes.

"My grandson…..Where is he now? Do you know?" the woman asked, a little excitedly.

"He's somewhere in Arcadia now. We both came here to find out why something strange has been happening." Harlock said.

"Something strange? What do you mean?" the woman asked, as she motioned for the both of them to have a seat.

"As odd as this sounds, Young Harlock and I have been 'picking up' on something. As someone else had so eloquently put it, it felt like someone was 'walking on our graves'……After the Mazone invasion, and what I had seen during the most recent incident, I'm not willing enough to brush it off as it being our imaginations." Harlock stated; arching an eyebrow slightly when his mother gently smiled.

"Your father had said the same thing, before the Illumidas showed themselves…..and that caution had saved so many lives…..Lives that would have been lost, otherwise. You and Young Harlock continue to live your lives as you have been, and as your hearts dictate. That is the Harlock way." The woman said, wisely.

"True enough." Harlock agreed; jumping slightly when something beeped loudly on his belt, and starting when he heard a familiar voice come from the device attached there.

"Dad! Do you read? Over!" a youthful voice shouted, from amidst what sounded like gunfire.

"Loud and clear! What's going on?" Harlock asked, when he'd stood up, detached the comm-link from his belt, and answered the desperate call.

"Unfortunately, I think you were right about getting into trouble here…..There's a whole shitload of bounty hunters here and they've almost got us cornered! We've managed to stay out of reach so far, but I can't say for how long!" Young Harlock's voice replied.

"Where are you?" Harlock questioned.

"Near the town!" Young Harlock replied, then added, "Another thing you should know, Dad, is I think somebody high up in the government of this place had hired the hunters! You familiar with a guy called 'Darghund'?" This got a dangerous growl from Harlock, in response.

"I know the name only too well. He's the one that had called the hunters here?" Harlock asked; gripping his gravity saber as he restlessly paced the floor in front of Lightningtooth and his mother.

"From what I'd heard." Young Harlock responded; snarling out a curse when one shot impacted a little too close to him for comfort.

"Hang on. I'll be there shortly." Harlock promised, then turned and looked at Lightningtooth, "Stay here, old friend."

"Don't get into too much trouble, Harlock." Lightningtooth said, smirking when Harlock gave him almost a sneer of his own.

"Wouldn't be me if I stayed out of trouble all the time." Harlock replied, before he rushed out of the house and into the encroaching night.

……………………..

To say that Kai Oyama was relieved to see the crew he had assembled for his ship was an understatement. They were now gathered in a small house on the far edge of town, with Kai and Tochiro in the center of the group.

"Al! Clio! Nausica! Good to see ya! Where the hell have you all been hiding?.! I was beginning to worry!" Kai said, as he grinned at the men and women gathered around him.

"Finishing the ship, of course!" one man, Al, replied, good-naturedly, "We're just glad to see that you've finally escaped from that base! How'd you manage it?"

"A man named Falko Harlock had helped me out of that bind, my friend…..and that same man is the very one we want to captain our ship." Kai replied.

"Falko Harlock? That's the name of the man you'd mentioned earlier?" Tochiro questioned; shocked by this development. Kai nodded.

"Hai, that's his name! And he lives up to the Harlock name very well." Kai murmured, then looked at one man in particular and asked, "Is the _**Atlantis**_ ready to go?"

"She's been ready for quite some time now, Kai. All she needs is her new captain's word, and we'll leave for the Sea of Stars!" the man replied, confidently.

"Then what're we waitin' for? Let's go and find Falko before the metalheads discover where your ship is!" Tochiro shouted, urgently. This got an agreement from the crew of the hidden ship that almost drowned out the sound of his comm-link going off.

"What seems to be the matter?" Clio asked, when she'd noticed that Tochiro had unclipped the link.

"Tochiro, here! What's up?" Tochiro asked, as a cold feeling of dread worked its' way into his heart as the group around him went silent, and they heard what sounded like a vicious gunfight going on, on the other end.

"You in town, Tochiro?" a young man's voice gasped, exhaustedly.

"Harlock! What the hell's goin' on?.! What've you gotten yourself into this time?.!" Tochiro in turn questioned; fearing for his friend's life, now that he could hear how tired his friend sounded.

"No time to explain, just listen up. Dad's on his way here, but I'm not sure which direction he's coming from. Also not sure if he's contacted the _**Arcadia**_'s crew yet. Better alert Kei, in case he needs backup." Young Harlock replied.

"Right!" Tochiro agreed; seeing what Young Harlock had in mind, and hoping that the last-ditch effort would work.

"Is Falko with 'im?" Kai asked, worriedly; not realizing that Young Harlock had heard him.

"Unfortunately, yes! Got ambushed trying to get back to town…..Still don't know whether they're after him or me, at this point." Young Harlock stated; his words causing a chill to run down the backs of Kai, Tochiro, and the crew of the yet un-launched _**Atlantis**_.

"Hang in there! Help's on the way!" Kai reassured; grinning when he heard Young Harlock grumble something along the lines of 'I hope so' under his breath, before the connection was cut.

"Hope you all have weapons, since it sounds like it's gonna be a gunfight, from here on out." Tochiro stated, grimly, as he un-holstered his Cosmo Dragoon in preparation for the imminent rescue.

"Don't worry about us, Tochiro, we'll manage." Kai said, with a smirk of his own, as one crewmember brought a metal box forward, and as he unlocked it and pulled out a pistol.

"Hey…..that's…..!" Tochiro muttered, when he'd seen the design of the gun itself.

"It's as one man had said, a very long time ago…..Great minds do indeed think alike. Though I'm not sure I have the right to call these 'Cosmo' Dragoons, I'm sure you and your father won't mind if I call 'em 'Phantom' Dragoons…..Would you?" Kai asked, as a tearful look appeared on the younger Oyama's face, and then he managed a grin.

"Not at all. It's an honor…..and I'm sure my friend and his father would think the same, since they share the name 'Phantom' as well." Tochiro said, as he watched Kai hand only a few of them out (since several of the others had already found some different weapons, by now, and were beginning to head outside), leaving just three left.

"Two of these are going to Falko and Fritz, since they're the Harlocks who will inherit the _**Atlantis**_. That is the way it should be." Kai said, as he removed the guns from the box, and put them into some holsters Clio had in hand.

"Yeah. Now, let's get out there!" Tochiro shouted, as he led the way out; hoping against hope that they wouldn't be too late.

Author's Note!

Hope this chapter was all right and made some sense! The action is coming up, so sit tight!

Gemini14


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The crew of the _**Arcadia**_ had been somewhat alarmed, when they had received the call from Tochiro Jr. that Young Harlock was in trouble.

"I knew we shouldn't have let them go it alone! And Young Harlock is still injured! We've got to go and help him!" Kei said, worriedly; angry with herself that she hadn't followed through with her forebodings of danger, and gone after them on her own.

"We should wait. So far, it seems he's managed to stay relatively safe…..but he's protecting at least three others. We could complicate matters if we charge in now." La Miime stated, calmly; knowing somehow that the elder Harlock was on his way, and that the son of Tochiro Oyama was with a fairly large group and was coming from a different direction.

"How can…..? Never mind….I should know by now that you're usually right, La Miime." Kei said, a bit guiltily. The alien woman only sighed, and placed a soothing hand on her friend's shoulder.

"I know you're worried, Kei. We'd almost lost Young Harlock to his injuries….and this situation doesn't help matters much." La Miime said, calmly. She knew that the navigator saw the younger pirate captain as a brother; what good sister wouldn't worry about her sibling? Especially when he was in danger like this?

"_We can only hope, at this point, that the Captain knows what he's doing._" La Miime mused, as a hint of worry emerged in her own heart for the two men, but somehow managing to keep it hidden from the rest of the crew.

……………………….

Darghund growled as he glared into the gloom. Somewhere, just beyond sight, a space pirate and a refugee were hiding.

"_Wherever they are, they have the high ground. They've been picking off the hunters with unbelievable accuracy, so far!_" Darghund silently snarled, then added, "_Damn pirate!_"

"Baron, the last of the hunters have pulled out! They're not willing to chase them at night!" one man shouted, as he approached the military governor cautiously.

"Damned cowards! And they call themselves bounty hunters! These are two men we're talking about, not shadows! What about the Machine Men? What are they doing?" Darghund raged; causing the man before him to cower away.

"Th-they're also retreating! They know the reputation of the men they're hunting, and don't want to cross them!" the man stammered, fearfully pulling back from the baron when he drew himself to his full height and stared furiously at him.

"Call off the search, then. We'll wait till dawn to resume." Darghund seethed, furious that he wasn't going to get his revenge this night.

"R-right!" the underling shakily said, before rushing to get out of the baron's sight.

"_That damned pirate has always had the devil's luck!_" Darghund fumed, as he sat down in the chair beside the fire, and proceeded to wait for dawn.

…………………………

"Seems they've stopped….." Falko murmured, when the gunfire finally ceased.

"For now. It looks like we've managed to drive them off, for the time being." Young Harlock agreed, wearily, as he slumped against the boulder they had taken shelter behind, and breathed a sigh of some relief. It had been several hours since the beginning of the fight, and both men were exhausted.

"How're you holding up, Phantom?" Falko asked, concerned when he saw a hint of strain on the younger man's face.

"I've felt better. Wish this could've happened before I'd gotten caught by that damned Kichigai…..Would've enjoyed playing 'sniper' with the hunters and Machine Men, then." Young Harlock muttered, with a smirk. Falko could only arch an eyebrow at this, to show his skepticism.

"Only you would call this sort of thing 'fun' in any circumstance." Falko mumbled, as he cautiously peered out from behind the boulder again.

"Who's Kichigai?" Fritz asked, curiously. He didn't notice when Young Harlock stiffened slightly at the name.

"You don't want to know, kid. Trust me on that." Young Harlock replied, sourly; wincing when he moved his left arm and felt the new wound there reopen and begin bleeding again.

"But you have both done well at evading capture so far." Fang murmured.

"True enough…..but there's one thing about this that makes this seem odd." Falko said, as he also sat down and tiredly put the pistol on the ground beside him.

"Then we're on the same page, then. Why would they hire so many mediocre bounty hunters to try and kill two men?" Young Harlock questioned, rhetorically.

"Your guess is as good as mine, at this point. I didn't think that the bounty on my head would have warranted such a response…..unless it's your father they're really after." Falko stated, as a look of realization appeared in Young Harlock's eyes.

"Damn…..you could be right about that…..And like a fool, I called him right into it! Shit!" Young Harlock swore; furious with himself for falling for such a trick, and striking the rock behind him in his anger.

"Is Captain Harlock gonna die?" Fritz asked; unnerved by Young Harlock's reaction and looking to his father for a more positive answer.

"Not if we have anything to say about it. Right, my friends?" Fang said; getting grim nods from both the young pirate captain, and the renegade pilot.

"Damn straight." Young Harlock growled.

"As though I would be caught by such a trap." A voice murmured, from the darkness. Startled, Falko turned and leveled his gun on the newcomer; lowering it again when a familiar, dark-clothed man appeared.

"Hey, Dad." Young Harlock greeted; relieved beyond words that his father hadn't walked into the imagined worst. This got a slight smirk from the elder pirate captain, before he reached out and gripped his son's shoulder to reassure him.

"I take it…..that you're the infamous Captain Harlock himself?" Falko asked; bracing himself for anything, in case this meeting with the current 'head' of the family went badly. Harlock nodded.

"Who are you?" Harlock questioned, in turn; seeming vaguely bemused when Falko straightened slightly and saluted.

"Falko Harlock is my name, and the boy behind me is my son, Fritz. I am the former captain of the Terrestrial Military vessel known as the _**Octavian**_." Falko replied; his confidence growing when he noticed a hint of recognition in Harlock's single brown eye.

"The rumors I had heard of a renegade Terrestrial vessel, and it's captain who fought with the 'fierceness of Captain Harlock' had reached me even as I was secluded on the Planet of Rubbish Heaps. I never would have imagined that you were also related in some way to me." Harlock said, quietly, then looked down at Fritz (who was staring in wide-eyed wonder at him, with Silvereye gripped tightly in his arms)

"_He looks as Young Harlock had, so long ago._" Harlock mused, then addressed the boy, "How old are you, Fritz?"

"Ten, sir!" Fritz said, with a grin; thrilled with finally meeting one of his role models. At this, an unusual expression appeared on Harlock's face; banishing it when Young Harlock's comm-link beeped.

"Yeah." Young Harlock said, responding to the incoming call.

"Harlock! You all right over there?.!" Tochiro asked, "We're north of your location!"

"The crossfire's stopped, for now, but I can't say for how long. Stay put there till daybreak…..since I think Dad might have some idea of where we'll be then." Young Harlock said; glancing at his father as he said that, and getting a nod from the older man confirming that much.

"Okay…..If you say so." Tochiro muttered, sounding relieved and a bit put off with his friend at the same time.

"Where will we be till morning?" Fritz asked, curiously; boldly approaching Harlock and looking directly up at him.

"Follow me. I know these paths better than anyone in Arcadia…..Especially the ones that lead back to the ancestral home of the Harlock Clan." Harlock stated, then motioned for them to follow, "At least there, we'll be able to rest and prepare for whatever Baron Darghund has in store."

"True enough. Lead on, then." Falko said; trusting the elder Harlock in this, and following when the older man again disappeared into the shadows. Instinctively, Fritz released Silvereye, and then latched onto his father's hand; determined to not be left behind in this dark place.

"_I'm beginning to understand_….._why Maya didn't return to Arcadia when Young Harlock was born_….._and why he wasn't sent here. Darghund would have killed him._" Harlock thought, darkly, as he led the way through the dark forest; his surroundings suiting his mood perfectly, as he thought of the old resentment Darghund had for him…..as well as the rage at his supposedly letting Maya perish needlessly….Knowing full well that Darghund wouldn't have had any mercy for his son, if their paths had crossed any earlier.

……………………

Kai uttered a sigh of relief, when he'd heard that his friend had met with Captain Harlock, and they were now heading for a safer hiding spot.

"They're safe for now…..but even Harlock doesn't know for how long. I just hope Captain Harlock is able to think of something to get us all out of this fix." Tochiro muttered, as he glanced at his watch, and sighed when he saw how long they had to wait till sunrise.

"This might give us the time we need to fine-tune the _**Atlantis**_. Will you help me, Tochiro?" Kai asked; knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that the distraction from the Harlocks' plight would help the time fly by, and give them both something to do that will help them, in the long run.

"It will be my pleasure!" Tochiro said, grateful for the opportunity to get his mind off of the trouble his own friend had been in till then, and that Kai was so willing to let him work on the new pirate ship.

"Then let's go. The rest of you, stay here till you get the signal from Captain Harlock. Understood?" Kai said, sternly.

"You got it, Kai…..but we need to know what frequency Tochiro's comm-link receives, that way we'll hear the signal." One man said, intelligently.

"The frequency 'Voice of Radio Free Arcadia' had used during the Earth-Illumidas War." Tochiro replied, then added, "That was also the frequency that 'Arcadia Underground' had used, as well."

"How do you know this?" another man asked; seeming confused when he got a slight grin from Tochiro before he got his answer.

"Who do you think built and programmed the comms used by the Arcadia Underground?" Tochiro in turn questioned, rhetorically, before turning and walking away; not even needing to look back and see the shock on the faces of the _**Atlantis**_' crew at that.

…………………

Lightningtooth had just about nodded off, when the sound of a knock at the door was heard.

"Phantom's found him!" Mira murmured; not even needing to look to know that her son had returned, and that he had her grandson with him.

"Indeed…..and they've got at least two more people with them, and one wolf cub." Lightningtooth added, as he followed the woman to the door, and let Harlock in.

"I take it you took one of your 'secret paths' to get back?" Mira asked; her teasing tone undermined by the look of relief on her face. At this, Harlock gave her a wry glance.

"You know me too well. I'm just glad you're on my side….somewhat." Harlock replied; surprising the young man beside him with the casual tone he'd just used with the older woman. Mira only smiled.

"How does she know you, Dad?" Young Harlock asked, bewildered by the interaction he was seeing in front of him.

"Young Harlock, this is your grandmother…..Out of all the people on earth right now, she should know the most about me….aside from Lightningtooth, of course." Harlock admitted, smiling slightly as he watched his mother approach the younger man, and gently reach up and touch his face; her eyes brimming with tears when she saw how much he resembled his father….and his deceased grandfather.

"You look as your father had, before he went to war with the Illumidas….." Mira said, her eyes filled with love and pride, even though tears were now sliding down her cheeks. This got an abashed smile from the younger pirate captain, before he carefully brushed the tears away; all the while not breaking the contact between him, and her soft hands.

"Are you Phantom's grandma?" a boy's voice asked, from beside another man that stood a little bit behind Harlock. At first, Mira seemed surprised about seeing them there, then she took a closer look at the pair; their wild, auburn hair and grey-brown eyes, and the man's scarred features brought into mind what her late husband's father had looked like, in youth!

"_All he's really missing is the scar across the face_…." Mira thought, as she reluctantly released her grandson from her gentle grasp, and turned her attention to them, "Yes, I am. Who might you be, young one?"

"I'm Fritz Harlock, and this is my friend Silvereye!" the boy said, enthusiastic even though he looked a little tired.

"Pleased ta meet'cha!" Silvereye added, his tail ablur as he said that. Mira nodded to them in greeting.

"I see…..Good to meet you, too." Mira said, a little taken aback by this, yet looking up at the man whom she guessed was the boy's father, "And you? Who are you?"

"Falko Harlock, madam." The man replied, politely, and with a slight bow.

"From what they have been willing to tell me, thus far, it seems they are from America, and are currently on the run from the Machine Empire." Harlock stated, looking at Falko for a confirmation on that.

"That's the heads and tails of it. Originally, it was just myself, Fritz, and Silvereye coming here for refuge…..Then we ran into Kai Oyama at one of the bases in the Atlantic basin. He joined us out of loyalty to the Harlock name…..to keep an ancient promise made by an ancestor of his to an ancestor of yours'." Falko said, looking directly at Harlock, and then looking down at his own son, when the boy yawned; ruffling Fritz's hair gently as he did so.

"You all look exhausted. There's plenty of room here, just choose whichever rooms you like." Mira offered, seeing the weariness in both human fathers and sons, and in all three wolves, as well.

"Your hospitality is definitely appreciated, madam." Falko said, gratefully.

"Please, just call me Mira, or 'Mother'. You calling me 'madam' only makes me feel older!" Mira said, with a soft laugh, when she saw the discomfiture on Falko's face.

"It seems you've been officially adopted back into the family, Falko. I certainly have no say in this decision." Harlock muttered, then strode off; mumbling something under his breath about 'needing another full bottle of wine' as he went.

"He's going to drink himself to death, one of these days…." Lightningtooth said, jokingly.

"If I come aboard his ship, I'll see to it that he doesn't." Mira stated; knowing that Harlock had heard her, when his muttering stopped, and he looked back at her uneasily.

"Grandmother, I daresay that you are the only person on earth Dad is truly afraid of." Young Harlock said; grinning when he got a deadpan look from his father for that, before the older man turned and entered one of the bedrooms, with Lightningtooth following close behind him.

"What of your arm injury, Harlock? Aren't you going to get that seen to?" Fang questioned, as he concernedly glanced at the bloodstained sleeve on the younger captain's flightsuit.

"Let me see to it." Mira ordered, as she ushered for him to follow her into the sitting room, to have a seat in one of the chairs, and to bare his arm so she could get a better look.

"I take it you've had to do this quite often, haven't you?" Falko asked; watching as Mira started gathering all she was going to need to treat Young Harlock's wound.

"My husband was a bit accident-prone whenever he came home. As it was, we always kept a full first aid kit handy." Mira said, not seeming surprised when she saw the scars on her grandson's torso, but allowing her eyes to widen when she saw the still-healing knife wounds alongside them.

"How did this…..?" Mira started to ask, yet stopped when she saw the pained look in the young man's eyes.

"You don't want to know. Trust me." Young Harlock muttered; flinching slightly when she started cleansing the newest injury on his left arm with an alcohol-soaked cloth. Mira remained silent, yet her eyes were drawn to the injury that had just become visible to them; to Falko, it almost looked like a serious burn wound was wrapped around the younger man's neck….And the only way he could tell what it was, was that it still looked red and angry-looking.

"If you're not careful, that neck wound of yours' is going to get infected." Mira said, getting a startled look from her grandson, and answering it with a knowing one.

"_She __knows_……" Young Harlock thought, then said, "I'll keep that it mind."

"Please do. I wouldn't want to lose you to something like that." Mira said, honestly, as she continued tending to his arm.

"Why? You hardly even know me." Young Harlock said, with some confusion in his voice and eyes as he spoke. Mira then gave him a sad smile.

"Time doesn't matter to the heart." Mira replied, gently, "I may have known you for but an hour, but you are my grandson, all the same. How can I not be worried for your wellbeing?" For a few moments, Young Harlock wasn't quite sure what to do or what to say….and then he allowed a slight smile to cross his face, and even allowed Mira to put a burn salve on his neck to help speed the healing along; a sign that he accepted and trusted her words, in spite of the awful connotations the wound appeared to have.

"_To be accepted so completely by a family_….._It seems that every person desires that sort of warmth. Even outcasts like him_….._and especially like Fritz and me._" Falko mused, as he watched the interaction between the grandparent and grandson, and felt something akin to envy rise within him.

"Are you hurt in any way, Falko?" Mira asked, startling him out of his thoughts, for the moment.

"N-no…..Just very worn out. Flying in a small, one-man plane for days on end, and then getting here to find out that the officials want to feed me to the metalheads doesn't exactly make one the best company for first meetings." Falko said, apologetically.

"Then go ahead and get some sleep. No one dares to get close to this place, not even Baron Darghund. So rest easy." Mira said, as she ushered them towards the remaining bedrooms.

"Will do. See you in the morning, then." Young Harlock said, giving her yet another slight smile, and then going into one of the other rooms; this one right across the hall from his father's.

"G'night." Fritz yawned, his exhaustion finally catching up with him; getting a warm smile from Mira in answer to that.

"Good night." Mira replied, as she watched the father and son enter the room beside Young Harlock's, and then quietly close the door.

"_I hope they are able to sleep well. Even Phantom looked worn out_…." Mira thought, concernedly, then smiled to herself. She was a mother again…and this time to not just one son, but two.

"_But Falko has such a sad air about him_….._I just hope things start looking up for him, soon._" Mira mused, as she gazed softly in the direction of Falko's room; earnestly wishing for the best for her much-maligned family, with her whole heart.

……………………..

Morning seemed to come reluctantly, as dismal rain clouds brought in some cold rain to the beautiful countryside. Tochiro sighed as he sat at the mouth of a cave with a cup of hot coffee in hand (even though he hated the drink, it was all they had on hand that was hot).

"_I'd kill for some tea, at this point! How can some people drink this stuff? It's so bitter!_" Tochiro thought, grouchily, as he glared out at the nasty weather; his mood not really much improved by it, either.

"Thought I'd find you here." Kai said, as he joined his cousin in staring out at the foul weather.

"This wouldn't be a very good day to launch, if we were forced to." Tochiro grumbled; getting a sigh of agreement from Kai as a response.

"You've got a point there….But I wouldn't want to launch the _**Atlantis**_ without Falko on board, anyway. He's her rightful captain….even if he doesn't know it, yet." Kai stated, getting a wondering look from Tochiro for that.

"You haven't told him about the ship yet? Why?" Tochiro asked, confusedly.

"Haven't really had the opportunity. Each time a chance to tell him came up, he was busy trying to keep 'Arcadia' from being blown to pieces by the metalheads." Kai replied, with a shrug. This got even more confusion from Tochiro as a result.

"'Arcadia'? What does he have that's named Arcadia?" Tochiro questioned; sitting up straighter as he said this.

"An old, restored Messerschmitt that was said to have belonged to Phantom Harlock Jr. during World War Two. Somehow it had withstood all those years, and found its way into his hands. I don't know what has become of it, though….I haven't seen it since yesterday…..I just hope it hasn't been torn apart by the people here." Kai murmured; dreading that such a scenario might well have been the case, by now.

"They'd be cursed by the ghost of the Pirate Knight, if they did. They know better than to mess with anything regarding Captain Harlock and his family." Tochiro said, with certainty, as he stood up, dusted himself off, and then emptied his coffee cup onto the soaked ground outside. This action earned him a grin from Kai.

"You really hate coffee, don't you?" Kai asked, chuckling when Tochiro made a grotesque face at the thought of the taste.

"Give me hot tea or warm sake in the mornings instead of that nasty stuff! Blech!" Tochiro shuddered, sticking his tongue out for added effect.

"Then we really are related!" Kai laughed, as he good-naturedly led the way back inside of the cave; heading back to the immense black shape that waited patiently for its master to arrive…..which Tochiro hoped would be soon.

…………………..

Harlock awoke to the sound of rain on the roof high above him. For a split second, he could have sworn that he was almost a little over thirty years in the past…..For a brief moment, he could almost feel the presences of his father and grandfather close by. With a sigh, he slowly sat up; wincing slightly when his stiff joints creaked and popped in retaliation.

"You're sounding like an old man all the time, old friend." Lightningtooth quipped, from beside the bed.

"Shut up." Harlock muttered, ignoring Lightningtooth's soft laughter at his expense, and turning his gaze to the window. Things really hadn't changed much, in his home, since his long-ago departure. Even his mother still looked somewhat as she had, even though time had left very fine marks on her.

"_I wonder how long she has been living here alone? When did Grandfather die?_" Harlock wondered, gloomily, as that guilt settled heavily onto his already-overburdened shoulders.

"You shouldn't think like that, old friend. You couldn't have known she was even still alive, herself. Besides, she isn't the type to complain, either. Young Harlock hasn't been the only one 'blessed' with incredibly stubborn parents…..His father had had to get it from somewhere." Lightningtooth said, as he propped his top half on the bed, and laid his head on Harlock's lap. As Harlock scratched his ears, Lightningtooth could see when a vague smile appeared on his friend's face.

"You've got a point." Harlock admitted, ruefully. They both looked up when they heard a gentle knock at the door.

"Breakfast is almost ready." Mira's voice said, causing something that was a cross between a sad smile, and a slightly boyish one, to appear on Harlock's scarred features.

"Be there in a moment." Harlock replied, as he got up and put his boots, gloves and cloak on…..even though, in the back of his mind, he wished he could have gotten a shower before going to the meal…..A thought that caused bittersweet memories to emerge.

"_He still misses her_….._He never says it, outright, but he definitely misses Marian._" Lightningtooth thought, as he felt the lingering sadness return to his friend, and again cursed himself for his inability to act fast enough to prevent the tragedy that had taken her from him.

"_I can only hope that nothing like that ever happens again. His heart can't take it._" Lightningtooth mused, as he followed Harlock out of the room; his heart as heavy as his friend's now was.

…………………………

Waking up under an unfamiliar roof always brought a feeling of mixed emotions to him. As he lay there blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Young Harlock drowsily wondered what the day ahead held in store.

"_And what kind of trouble am I about to get into?_" Young Harlock wondered, as he got up and took a good look around at the room he'd 'crashed' in, earlier that morning. To his surprise, he could see a good selection of framed photographs on the different pieces of furniture…..some of them very old, while others looked fairly new. When his eyes alighted on one picture in particular, his heart almost stopped. There, just in front of him, was a picture of a man standing proudly in a crimson uniform….and beside him, stood a beautiful woman; her ankle-length blond hair shining in the sunlight. At their feet, a huge black wolf lay, protective even in that light moment.

"_Dad_….._and Mom? Is this_…..?" Young Harlock wondered, as he gingerly picked up the picture, and gazed closely at the people in it. The man in the photo, his father, was holding the woman very close to his side; his face showing it's usual stony determination, but his eyes shining with mirth, almost as though he had been mischievously teasing the woman before the camera had captured them on film. The woman was smiling slightly, even as a faint blush touched her petite features. The wolf on the ground, which he somehow knew was Lightningtooth, also had a cheerful glint in his azure eyes; his tongue hanging out of his mouth in a canine version of a smile.

"Young Harlock? Are you awake?" Mira asked, as she stuck her head into the room; spotting him standing there with the picture in hand.

"Uh….yeah. Sorry, didn't mean to disturb anything in here." Young Harlock said, as he abashedly put the picture back. With a sad smile, Mira entered the room fully, took the picture from its' place on the dresser, and put it back in his hand. When she saw his confused look, she only took his other hand in both of hers' and held it.

"This belongs to you, since it's a picture of your father and mother before the war had reached earth." Mira said, then added, "You need something that lets you know that your mother had been a real person."

"You knew her?" Young Harlock asked, his voice soft and reverent, as he gazed at the photo with a hint of sorrow in his eyes.

"Yes. She was a very gentle, yet very courageous and stubborn young woman. As much as some people tried to dissuade her from leaving Arcadia, she was hell bent and determined to support your father from behind the lines…..Even if it meant risking her life, to do so. She must have given birth to you at the beginning of the Occupation, since things were very unsettled here, during that time…..It was then that Darghund took control…..and now you see the result. A land that is very peaceful and beautiful to the naked eye, but is ruled by corrupt individuals behind the scenes." Mira explained; her expression darkening when she even mentioned Darghund in passing.

"Then I was right…..Something that looks too good to be true, usually is." Young Harlock growled; looking down when Fang came and stood close to him, in an effort to calm him.

"That seems to be the case, unfortunately." Harlock agreed, as he entered the room, giving the both of them an almost sad look, and then gazed at the picture itself.

"_Happier times_….._that only exist in photos, now. At least, now, Young Harlock has a picture of Maya._" Harlock thought, grimly, as he placed a hand on his son's shoulder, and nodded; letting him know that he could keep the portrait by that motion alone.

……………………

Falko was awakened by his son's foot planting itself firmly in his side; an action that got a wry grin and a shake of the head from him in response. Fritz was sprawled over at least half the bed, his head now pointed towards the foot of it (how he had managed that, Falko wasn't at all sure). In the room next door, he could hear the voices of Harlock, Young Harlock, and Mira talking quietly between themselves; their tones sounding undeniably sad.

"_They must be talking about someone close to them. In which case, it is none of my business._" Falko thought, as he slowly got up and started getting dressed. Within moments, he was ready to go, then he glanced at Fritz. The boy and his pet wolf were still sound asleep, and he didn't really have the heart to wake them….Yet he knew that breakfast was being prepared, if it wasn't already on the table.

"Fritz? Come on, son. It's time to wake up." Falko said, as he gently prodded the boy awake.

"Hmm? Why so early, Dad? Am I late for school again?" Fritz asked, drowsily. Falko had to fight back a smile, as he shook his head.

"No, son, you're not late for school….but we are going to be later for breakfast, if we don't hurry." Falko urged; knowing he'd pressed the right 'buttons' when the boy's face lit up, and even Silvereye responded by immediately coming awake at the mere mention of food.

"Then let's go!" Fritz shouted, eagerly, as he made to dash out of the room; only to be prevented from leaving by his father.

"Wash your face, first." Falko ordered, getting an exasperated 'Aw, Dad!' from Fritz for that, before he sulkily stomped off to do just that.

"Morning troubles?" Harlock asked, smirking as he glanced in the direction of the bathroom.

"Need you even ask?" Falko replied, with a snicker, (since Fritz was still grumbling under his breath) yet shrugging as he said that, "And yet, were we really all that different?"

"Point taken." Harlock muttered; rolling his eye as he remembered some instances in the past when it had seemed the biggest 'battles' had been against either his grandfather or mother, as far as wills were concerned…..and then the 'battles' with his own son over the exact same things.

"As the Easterners always used to say, 'karma will catch up'." Mira teased, getting almost identical deadpan looks from both Harlock and Falko for her efforts.

"And it gets returned tenfold…..I never thought I would get to a point where I would have to admit that Tochiro may have been right about that." Harlock sighed; shaking his head when Young Harlock passed the room, laughing as he went.

"Well, you three hurry up, or breakfast will get cold." Mira said, yet flinched when a startled scream came from the dining room nearby (and the exclamation about a 'ghost' wandering through the house), swiftly followed by some equally surprised epithets in German from Young Harlock….some of which Mira blushed profusely at.

"I never taught him those….." Harlock muttered; seeming just as amazed by his son's vocabulary as his mother evidently was.

"I get the feeling he's about to get a bar of soap in his mouth for this…." Falko mumbled; inwardly hoping that Fritz wasn't picking up on this.

"That's if she can catch him." Harlock replied, dryly, knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that he was about to get yet another earful from his mother…..and this time he might not get away with his ears intact.

Author's Note!

My longest chapter yet for this story! Hope it made sense!

Gemini14


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

By the time noon had rolled around, the rain had finally stopped, and the sky had cleared; yet, it didn't help with the unease that was now working its' way into the _**Arcadia**_'s crew. Even without La Miime's intuition, they could all tell that something was about to happen…..

"_But what could it be, I wonder? What is this feeling of doubt I am sensing, all of a sudden? These aren't the Captain's feelings I'm picking up_…._nor are they Young Harlock's. Whose are they, then?_" La Miime wondered, as she tried to focus on the source of the emotions, yet only became more confused the harder she tried.

"Are you all right, La Miime? You look tired." Kei said, concernedly, from her position close by.

"I am fine; no need to worry….I'm just hoping that they come back safely." La Miime sighed, as she sat down and started tuning her harp.

"Same here." Kei agreed, "I definitely don't want to see the Captain or Young Harlock in the same shape they were in after each incident with those damned rings."

"You'll get no arguments there, Kei-san." Sabu said, since he had been told of the earlier incident by the rest of the crew, and had seen Young Harlock's condition at the time with his own eyes; knowing for a fact that he wouldn't have wished that on his worst enemy.

"_Except for that damned Kichigai, of course._" Sabu silently growled, the very thought of the pain he had inflicted on the younger pirate captain and his rival, enough to make his blood boil. Little did they realize just what the future had in store…..

…………………….

Darghund waited patiently for the scouts to report in with Harlock's whereabouts; eager to wreak his revenge on the pirate captain.

"_I've waited this long for revenge_….._I will __not__ let the opportunity slip away from me!_" Darghund thought, looking aside when one of the scouts finally appeared, and bowed politely to him.

"We've discovered their hiding place, Baron. They are being sheltered by that widow, Mira Harlock, at the ancestral estate. There are three men; one looks to be in his mid to late twenties, the second, in his mid to late forties, and the last looks to be about fifty or fifty-five. There are also two grown wolves and a wolf cub within the house, as well." The scout murmured.

"Excellent. Send a message. Let them know that there is no place in Arcadia that is safe for them, as long as they carry the name Harlock." Darghund said, his voice deepening into a growl as he mentioned the hated name. The scout bowed again.

"As you wish, sir." The scout again said softly, before swiftly disappearing into the woods again.

………………………….

Falko could only watch in amusement, as Fritz followed Harlock around the house, the boy quite eager to learn about his 'uncle' in the process. On a couple of occasions, Fritz almost ran into the back of the elder pirate captain; this getting a somewhat wry glance over the shoulder at him when this happened.

"Why are you following so closely, Fritz? I'm not going anywhere." Harlock said, calmly, when he'd finally stopped and sat down in the dining room; giving the boy a curious look as he did so.

"Um…..Just makin' sure you don't go anywhere?" Fritz responded, as he gave the older man an abashed smile that, in more ways than just one, reminded Harlock even more of Young Harlock.

"Why would you want to do that?" Harlock questioned.

"'Cause I want to learn how to be a space pirate too!" Fritz answered, shining at the thought. At this, Harlock could only sigh and roll his eye heavenward; just how could he explain this in terms the boy would understand?

"Being a space pirate…..isn't something you learn. It's a way of life. Once you become one, there's no turning back." Harlock stated, then silently added, "_Speaking of which, I wonder if Mother has explained the rite of passage to either of them?_"

"Does becoming a pirate mean getting a cool scar like yours'?" Fritz asked; this question almost being enough to cause Harlock to fall over backwards out of his chair in shock.

"Why would you want such a thing, Fritz?" Falko asked, feeling as shocked as the elder pirate captain looked.

"Well…..both Phantom and his dad have scars….." Fritz said, trying to name the reason why he wanted a scar like their's so badly.

"Mine came about by a freak circumstance, kid." Young Harlock muttered, noticing the disturbed look on his father's face, at this point.

"You never had the rite of passage carried out?" Mira asked, startling all of them by coming up behind Young Harlock so quietly. Harlock was the first to calm down, and spoke instead of his son.

"No. That was one thing I didn't have in me to do…..Call it cowardice, but I just couldn't slash my own son's face!" Harlock murmured, as an expression of shame appeared on his scarred features…..an expression Falko was only too familiar with. And yet, all Mira could do was sigh and walk over to him; placing a calming hand on his shoulder as she did so.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of…..In fact, your father had reacted the same way you are, now. It was one of the reasons why he was away at that time." Mira said, comfortingly.

"I thought as much…." Harlock murmured, then gazed at his hands. Hand that were normally so steady and strong in the heat of battle, were now shaking badly at the thought of putting the scar on Fritz's youthful face.

"Is that how you came about your scar, Harlock?" Falko asked, his voice soft, yet carrying a deadly edge in it. Harlock nodded.

"My grandfather gave me this on the morning of my tenth birthday…..It's a scar that has been passed down through the generations, ever since the Pirate Knight first received it in battle….." Harlock replied, then added, "This may be the reason why your ancestor had run away." For a moment, Falko bristled at the idea, yet then calmed when the thought occurred to him; he could understand why.

"No parent really wants to see his child in pain…..That was why you couldn't do it to your own son…...and I don't have the right to carry it out on mine, since I don't have the scar, either." Falko said, reluctantly agreeing with what the elder pirate had mentioned.

"But I still want it, Dad!" Fritz almost shouted, despite the feelings of unease the thought had engendered in the elder pirate captain.

"Are you sure? Son, this is something that can't be undone, after it is over. It will be with you for the rest of your life." Falko said, trying to talk some sense into the boy, even as he was trying to brace himself for what was to come. Fritz nodded; this time solemnly.

"Yeah." Fritz replied, then looked directly at Harlock; the determined glint in his young eyes reminding them that he was also of the proud Harlock Clan.

"Fine, then." Harlock softly said, agreeing with it, even though it seemed that the very idea of it was making him feel ill.

"_He really doesn't want to do this_…._but it looks like he's got no choice, now._" Young Harlock mused, as he watched his father stand, and then walk out of the room.

"Does the Captain hate me now?" Fritz asked, shakily, uncertain if what he'd said had offended the older man.

"No, he doesn't hate you, kid. It's just the fact that he cares too much…...He doesn't want you to hate him. You're family, and he's vowed to protect his family, no matter what…..It just goes against what he believes to hurt you in any way. Even if it is the rite of passage we're talking about." Young Harlock said; listening as his father went outside in an effort to regain his composure.

"We can only hope, at this point, that young Silvereye doesn't decide to attack while the rite is being carried out." Lightningtooth stated, with a smirk; even as Harlock (who was just beyond the back door) mumbled something about the 'pot calling the kettle black', under his breath. By the time Harlock had returned inside, Mira was just finishing the preparation for the rite. The room had been darkened, some candles had been lit, and a slightly nervous Fritz had been seated and tied down in a chair.

"You're sure you want to go through with it, even after seeing all this?" Young Harlock asked, when he'd noticed how nervous the boy now looked.

"Yeah." Fritz said, as he watched Harlock enter the room. Even though the man looked no different than before, Falko, Young Harlock, Mira and even Fritz noticed how much Harlock dreaded doing this. And that dread only deepened when Mira handed him an ornate knife with the family crest carved into the handle.

"_You'd almost think it was __him__ that's about to get cut across the face with that, instead of Fritz! He isn't liking this idea at all!_" Falko thought; restraining himself when the older man neared his son, and started to lower the knife to the boy's face. At this, an almost sepulchral silence settled onto the room, and it wasn't lifted in the slightest when the boy gasped at the feeling of the knife entering his flesh, nor softly whimpered when it was drawn across his left cheek…..But not a single scream did he allow to leave his mouth.

"_Brave kid._" Young Harlock thought; jumping when a flash of silver rushed past him and leaped right onto his father's arm!

"Silvereye!" Fritz yelped, in surprise, when he saw the wolf pup angrily sink his teeth into Harlock's forearm; the suddenness of it making him drop the bloodied knife with a half-growl of pain.

"He trusted you! He trusted you and you attacked him!" Silvereye howled, furiously, when he'd finally released Harlock's arm, and stood defensively in front of Fritz; silvery fur standing on end and his lips curling back in rage.

"He didn't attack your master, young one." Lightningtooth said, as he carefully approached and sat down in front of the angry pup.

"Then why'd he hurt Fritz?.! Why's Fritz's face bleeding like that?.!" Silvereye asked, as tears of rage spilled from his eyes and down his furry cheeks.

"It's called the rite of passage. Most Harlocks go through it when they reach ten years of age. Your master came to this decision himself, even though my master was extremely against doing it." Lightningtooth stated, patiently, then looked over his shoulder at Harlock. The older man was holding what appeared to be a scarf around his bleeding arm; trying to stanch the bleeding in it, since Silvereye's fangs had cut deeper than even he had thought possible.

"You all right, Dad?" Young Harlock asked; smirking slightly when he got a rueful glance from his father.

"If you could say that. That pup's teeth hurt worse than that knife! Maybe, instead of being called 'Silvereye' he should have been named 'Silverflash'. That pup came in and attacked even faster than Lightningtooth had." Harlock muttered, as he watched Mira move in and begin to stitch the boy's wound closed.

"My son probably would have done the same." Lightningtooth said, smiling when Harlock gave him a mock scowl.

"If I'd even tried to carry out the rite, back then, my arm would have been so torn up, I probably wouldn't be able to even hold a sword, much less fight hand-to-hand if I had to!" Harlock growled; flexing the fingers of his right hand to make sure that the nerves in his arm were all right. By now, Silvereye had calmed down enough to see that Fritz wasn't in danger, nor had he been betrayed; starting to feel a little guilty about what he'd just done.

"Sorry." Silvereye mumbled, as he lowered his gaze in shame. He was therefore surprised when Harlock walked over to him, kneeled, and then gingerly lifted the pup's head so eye contact could be established between them.

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, pup. You were just defending your master….and living up to your own clan's code of honor." Harlock said, smirking as he motioned to his arm with a nod.

"Code of honor?" Silvereye asked, confusedly.

"I'll let Lightningtooth explain that one." Harlock answered, and gave the scarred wolf a look that seemed to say 'Your turn'.

"Have fun, Dad." Fang said, as he stuck his head into the room and grinned mischievously at his sire. Lightningtooth's expression promptly deadpanned.

"Thanks." Lightningtooth muttered, his tone warning them that they were going to get it later, as he led the silver-furred pup out of the room; talking quietly to him as he went.

"You all right over there, Fritz?" Young Harlock asked, when he'd looked and seen that Mira was just finishing the stitches to the boy's face.

"Ouch……Yeah…..I'm okay." Fritz replied; flinching slightly when the needle went in and came out a final time, before Mira tied it off and started wiping the blood away.

"Good." Harlock said, then looked to his mother, "Was the wound easy to close?"

"You both did fine. Neither one of you passed out, so you both came out of this relatively unscathed!" Mira laughed; proud of both her own son, and her adopted grandson for their courage. She chuckled again when Harlock breathed a sigh of relief, and rubbed his eye with his left hand.

"I hope the wine cabinet is still in the same place as before, since I could use some alcohol, at this point." Harlock muttered, as he started to walk out of the room; only stopping when his mother took a good close look at the wound on his arm.

"It doesn't look deep enough to require stitches….Just keep an eye on it." Mira said, as she cleaned the wound out, and bound it properly. Harlock nodded, then continued on his way.

"Holding up okay over there, Falko?" Young Harlock asked; when he'd noticed how strangely quiet the other man had been, up until this point.

"Somewhat. Though it's strange…..my son looks more like a Harlock now than I do!" Falko said, with a weak laugh as he mentioned that.

"It doesn't matter what you look like…..With or without that scar, you're still a proud member of this family." Mira said, boldly, as she reached up and touched the left side of Falko's face; her fingertips brushing the vertical scar there as she did that.

"I can only agree…..since I can't really think of anything good to say as an argument." Falko murmured, then turned and looked in the direction Harlock had gone, "I hope he manages to save some of that alcohol, since I could use a drink, myself."

"Just don't pull a La Miime." Young Harlock warned; grinning when he got a bewildered look from Falko in response to that.

"Should I even ask?" Falko questioned, curiously, as he looked down at Fang for an answer.

"La Miime is a survivor of the Juran race, which survived solely on alcohol. What Young Harlock had meant was, don't drink from the bottle like she usually does." Fang stated, calmly. Falko only gave them a smirk of his own.

"I might just do that….I think, at this point, I'm entitled to it." Falko muttered, as he also wandered off to find the alcohol.

"What can I do, now?" Fritz asked, seeing now that the room was almost empty.

"How about a fencing lesson?" Young Harlock offered; smirking when the boy beamed at him, and then hurriedly stood up.

"_Guess I should take that as a 'yes', then._" Young Harlock thought, as he checked the safety on his gravity saber, and then went to see if his father would allow them to use his saber, as well (and if Falko would agree to it).

……………………..

Darghund sat astride a dark bay horse, as he waited for the 'message' to be delivered to the Harlock Clan's current head; able to see the house clearly, from his vantagepoint.

"All is almost ready, Baron." One scout murmured.

"Good." The Baron growled, then added, "Fire at your discretion."

"Right." The scout responded, then motioned to his compatriots within the woods; relaying the order through that signal alone.

……………………..

For a few moments, Harlock and Falko stood quietly in the back garden; taking thoughtful sips from their glasses of brandy as they did so.

"I'm actually rather impressed with your restraint in there. I didn't think you would allow me to do that." Harlock finally said, after a few more moments of almost comfortable silence.

"It was Fritz's decision. Try as I might to talk him out of it, once he makes a decision, there's no way to change his mind…..It seems a rather notorious trait to have inherited from this family, doesn't it?" Falko asked, rhetorically.

"So it is….." Harlock agreed, smirking to himself and remembering of all the situations in the past when his stubbornness had gotten him into trouble. They both turned to look when the sound of metal striking metal came to their ears; signaling that the fencing lesson had begun.

"Hope they don't put each others' eyes out." Falko muttered, as a deadpan expression appeared on Harlock's face.

"That makes two of us. The pain of losing an eye is no joke, as I know from firsthand experience." Harlock said, as he pointed at the patch covering his missing eye for added emphasis.

"Though your son appears to be an accomplished swordsman…..I shouldn't have too much to worry about." Falko amended, then added, "I can only hope he's a better teacher than I have been. Admittedly, my swordsmanship is rusty."

"No time to train, I take it?" Harlock asked. Falko shook his head.

"I went to a military school where fencing wasn't really focused on. I had to go to an outside source to get the lessons! Though the teacher there was quite good, and I took to it quickly, some things have been forgotten between then and now, since I haven't had to use it on a day to day basis." Falko explained.

"I see….But you'd managed to teach your son what you remembered? The basics?" Harlock questioned.

"Yes. What little I remember, I've managed to teach…..Though I suppose I'll have to learn it all again, in order to survive from here on out." Falko mused aloud; getting a quiet nod of agreement from the space pirate as a response to that. Within moments, they had lapsed into thoughtful silence again; their minds taking them elsewhere, even as their bodies remained in place. The future was spreading itself out before them, as boundless as the Sea of Stars…..and for Falko, to his mind, it was just as unattainable.

"_I wonder if either of them would be willing to take Fritz with them? The earth is no longer a safe place for him to grow up_….._especially now, when I have this bounty on my head_….." Falko thought, grimly; sighing as he looked up and around at the woodlands surrounding the house. For a moment, all looked normal to him; and then, in a second that made his heart freeze, he saw what appeared to be the barrel of a rifle….and it was aimed right at the elder captain! With a wordless cry, Falko roughly shoved Harlock out of the way; knocking him down out of the sights of the gun. The next thing Falko felt was a fiery pain in his right shoulder; gritting his teeth against it as he un-holstered his pistol, and fired an answering shot…..Rewarded with a cry of pain and death seconds later. He landed almost on top of the elder captain, the impact wrenching his wounded shoulder terribly, and forcing a strangled growl from between his lips.

"Harlock!" Lightningtooth's voice yelped, as he dashed outside, with Mira right behind him.

"Don't come out here! There are snipers!" Harlock ordered, as he shook his head slightly to clear it (he'd been knocked to the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of him), and then gingerly picked up Falko. The former Terrestrial Military captain was barely conscious, and in a considerable amount of pain; but he was able to see the gratitude in Harlock's single eye, as he carried him back inside.

"Dad! What the hell just happened?.!" Young Harlock shouted, as he and Fritz rushed into the room; having returned indoors as well, when the shot had been heard.

"Apparently Darghund no longer fears the Harlock name…..since he would have taken my life, just now, if it weren't for Falko." Harlock muttered, as he carefully placed Falko on the floor of the sitting room, and started applying pressure to his bleeding shoulder in an effort to stop the blood loss.

"Is Dad gonna be all right?" Fritz asked, horrified when he saw his father lying there, pale and bleeding.

"Your father is a true Harlock, Fritz…..and there's no way in hell that he's going to die this easily." Harlock growled, determinedly; watching as his mother again gathered her medical supplies, and smirking when she ordered his own son to start some water boiling so they could properly tend to Falko's wound.

"Thank you for protecting my master, Falko. You did well." Lightningtooth commended, as he approached the wounded man, sat down beside him, and gazed down at him with a grateful smile. At this, he got a weak smile in return.

"What else…..could I do? I'm not about…..to let those damned metalheads…..kill anyone in my family…..Distantly related or no." Falko replied, stubbornly, despite the pain.

"And by those actions alone, you've negated the cowardice of your ancestor. You've earned back the right to be called a Harlock." Fang murmured, as he entered the room and sat down beside Fritz; giving the boy something to brace himself on….and, in so doing, something to hold onto, for the long hours ahead.

"Finally….." Falko murmured, then thought, "_I can put my ancestor's shame to rest._" And, in his mind's eye, he could almost see the ghostly reunion of two brothers…..one thousand years estranged, yet resolving their long-standing dispute in that single moment, at long last.

Author's Note!

Hope this chapter was all right! (It took me long enough to get to this point, so, from here, it should be 'clear sailing'). Wish me luck in the next chapter!

Gemini14


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Kai could only pace nervously in the command deck of the _**Atlantis**_, as he waited for news about his friend.

"Kai-san, we've been scanning the area all night, and haven't detected any signals. Are you sure they haven't been captured?" Nausica asked, from her position at the communication controls.

"Quite sure." Kai replied, shortly, then thought, "_Those of the Harlock Clan would never give up that easily!_"

"Everything's ready to go, Kai! All systems are green!" Tochiro's voice suddenly said, over the _**Atlantis**_' comm system; startling both Kai and Nausica with the sudden break in the silence.

"Great! Now, see if you can reach anybody on your comm link! We need to get airborne as soon as possible!" Kai said, eagerly. He could almost see it when Tochiro grinned and nodded in agreement.

"You've got it!" Tochiro replied, then started calling out to his friend on his own comm.

"_Soon_……_Soon we'll be able to leave this place behind. The Sea of Stars is waiting!_" Kai thought, excitedly, as he gazed at the monitors and anticipated the moment when they would finally show stars instead of stone.

……………………………

The sudden beep of Young Harlock's comm link startled everyone in the room (including even the wounded Falko), and the younger captain was quick to answer it.

"What's going on, Tochiro?" Young Harlock asked, and seemed taken aback by the gleeful note in the smaller man's voice.

"Falko's ship is almost ready to go! All it needs is its' captain!" Tochiro replied, joyfully.

"Falko's ship….? When did this come about?" Young Harlock questioned; looking and sounding completely confused by this turn of events.

"Oops…..Forgot to tell you about that……But Kai'd built a ship here, in Arcadia! It looks almost like a fusion between the _**Arcadia**_ and _**DeathShadow**_ and seems to have just about as much firepower!" Tochiro stated, excitedly.

"What…..is the ship's name?" Falko asked, as he painfully forced himself to sit up; paling with the effort moments afterwards.

"Her name is _**Atlantis**_." Tochiro's voice replied, reverently.

"_**Atlantis**_….." Falko murmured; the thought of having a ship to command again bringing a slight smile to his pale features.

"Where is the ship now? How far away is it?" Harlock questioned, as he wiped Falko's blood off of his gloved hands and looked at his son's comm link.

"It's in a cave…..though I'm not too sure how far away it is from you." Tochiro said, uncertainly.

"Is the ship's crew still out there?" Harlock again asked, as a plan began to form in his mind.

"Yeah! They've been waiting for your signal to move in since last night! Why? What's goin' on?" Tochiro asked, now knowing that something was wrong.

"I have an idea of where the cave in question is, but we're going to need help getting there. The military governor of Arcadia has the house surrounded by snipers, and Falko has already been wounded by one of them." Harlock answered.

"How badly is he hurt?.!" Tochiro questioned, concernedly.

"He's taken a hit to his shoulder, but Mira's already gotten the bleeding stopped." Young Harlock said, even though he still seemed quite surprised by this turn of events.

"Okay…..But who's Mira?" Tochiro asked, sounding relieved and confused at the same time.

"Long story, Tochiro. Let's just focus on getting Falko over there, and getting his ship launched." Young Harlock ordered, calmly.

"Right!" Tochiro agreed. As Tochiro's end of the transmission went quiet, Falko, despite the excruciating pain, slowly got to his feet; bracing his right shoulder with his left hand as he did so.

"Are you sure you want to be moving so soon? That wound is deep." Lightningtooth warned, as he watched Falko waver slightly, and catch himself on a nearby mantle.

"I had heard…..that Harlock had taken command of the _**Arcadia**_……only hours after losing his eye…..Compared to that….this pain….should be nothing." Falko gasped, as he stubbornly stood on his own, and gazed determinedly out a window at the woodlands; knowing that the danger had not passed, and was probably closing in on them by the second, "And we don't have the time to wait for this wound to heal properly."

"True enough." Harlock murmured in agreement, then removed his own comm link from his belt.

"Then we must be ready to move. Falko, please take this." Mira said, as she handed something to Falko.

"What is this?" Falko asked, curiously, as he unfolded what appeared to be a new uniform, and gazed in surprise as it.

"Something I'd started on a whim. I hope it fits." Mira said, with a smile, as she watched him give her a dubious look, painfully shrug, and then stiffly walk out of the room with the uniform in hand. Moments later, he returned…..yet now he looked even more like Harlock than before. The uniform itself was a black flightsuit that was strikingly similar to Harlock's in many ways, yet noticeably different in others. Across the chest of the uniform was a silvery-white skull that had crossed sabers under it, and the lining running along the arms, his sides, and his legs was silver, as well. When she handed him the cloak that went with it, it also had silver lining instead of gold, yet the inside of it, as well as the captain's collar, was still red. He looked down when he felt a tugging on the edge of the cloak, and smirked at his son's awed expression.

"Are we gonna be space pirates, too, Dad?" Fritz asked, quietly.

"I would say so." Falko responded, then exchanged glances with both Harlock and Young Harlock; getting nods from them, as well.

"The Machine Empire won't know what hit it." Young Harlock finally said, as Falko gave him a grin that promised death for any Machine Man foolish enough to cross his path.

"Damn straight." Falko agreed, as they both listened as Harlock called out to the crew of the yet un-launched ship, and put the plan into motion.

……………………..

Clio jumped, when the comm link on Al's belt went off. Fumbling with it in order to silence the shrill sound (and almost dropping it in the process), Al was quick to answer.

"First Officer of the _**Atlantis**_, here! What's goin' on?" Al asked, boldly.

"This is Harlock of the _**Arcadia**_. What is your location, First Officer?" the voice on the other end of the transmission in turn questioned.

"We're about five miles from the cave, sir, and north of the Harlock estate." Clio replied for Al, since she could see that he was in too much shock over suddenly having been spoken to by the legendary captain.

"Might need some cover from both crews, then. How many of you are there?" Harlock again asked.

"A little over forty, sir." Clio answered.

"Then I hope there are enough of you, since the house is currently surrounded by snipers. They haven't fired any more rounds, but they are still there. Try closing in from behind, and we'll meet you wherever a hole in their line opens up." Harlock ordered, calmly.

"W-will do, sir!" Al stammered, then grinned broadly and motioned to his crewmates to get their attention. Finally, they had something to do…..yet he inwardly hoped that their help would be enough.

………………….

"_**Arcadia**_, do you read? Over." Harlock's voice said, over the ship's comm. Instantly, Kei reacted to the voice of her beloved captain.

"Yes! Reading you loud and clear, Captain! What's going on?" Kei asked; glad that they were finally hearing from him, and that he seemed to be all right.

"We're going to need a diversion over here. Launch the _**Arcadia**_." Harlock commanded.

"Right! I'm calling the First Officer to the bridge right now!" Kei replied, then turned to page Yattaran.

"First Officer! Come to the bridge! We need to launch!" Kei said, trying to hide the anxiety in her voice as she did so.

"What's goin' on, Kei?" Yattaran questioned, impatiently (obviously having been disturbed from putting together yet another plastic model).

"We need to launch! I think the Captain and Young Harlock are in trouble!" Kei responded, urgently.

"Then don't waste any time! Get us airborne!" Yattaran commanded; somehow sensing that the danger to the Captain and his son was quite real, and more than they could handle at this point.

"Okay!" Kei replied, as she started typing in the commands for the _**Arcadia**_'s mighty engines to start. Within seconds, they felt the ship lift off.

"_I hope we aren't too late!_" Kei thought; her feelings shared by everyone on board.

……………………

Darghund uttered a feral snarl of rage, when he saw that his tactics of trying to drive the pirate out into the open weren't working; hurling a wine glass into the wall of his study as he stood and bellowed at his servant.

"Call those hunters back in! Tell them I will triple the price on that damned pirate's head! I want him dead, and I want him dead NOW!!" Darghund roared, as he picked up the servant by his shirt collar and then threw him down again.

"A-as you wish, Baron!" the servant stammered, fearfully, when he'd seen the madness in his master's eyes.

"I won't let you win this one, Harlock. You've won FAR too many battles, already. Now, it is my turn." Darghund growled, as he picked up his gravity saber and pistol, rushed to the door, and stormed out. He didn't even notice when the portrait of Maya again glowed and cried….but this time, the tears that escaped her eye were made of blood.

…………………….

The silence in the woods was deafening, as Harlock led them along one of the paths. Behind him, Young Harlock and Falko focused their attentions on keeping Mira and Fritz safe, while Fang gently carried Silvereye by the scruff of his neck and Lightningtooth brought up the rear.

"I've never heard the forest become so silent…..It's almost like being in a tomb." Mira murmured; unnerved by the absence of sound within the woods themselves.

"It's providing us with enough of a warning. The snipers are still here, somewhere." Harlock muttered, as he glanced warily around.

"You're right about that." Falko agreed, then looked down at Lightningtooth and Fang, "Can either of you tell how far away any of them are, from us?"

"Just far enough that we can't tell which direction they are aiming from. We can smell them, but just not well enough, at that range." Lightningtooth replied, edgily. They all looked up when the roar of a ship's engine sounded a few miles off, and saw the _**Arcadia**_ appear briefly through a gap in the treetops.

"This should provide just enough of a distraction to get us to Falko's ship." Harlock said, then picked up his pace; knowing from experience that the hunters and snipers would be moving in the opposite direction to intercept them. Young Harlock jumped when he felt a hand suddenly grip his right shoulder, yet turned to find Falko struggling to remain upright.

"_Damn. He isn't looking good._" Young Harlock silently growled, when he saw the strain on his cousin's face, "Hang on, Falko. Don't pass out yet."

"I won't if you won't." Falko muttered, reminding Young Harlock that he was still injured, as well, and also had to worry about overtaxing himself.

"Agreed." Young Harlock replied, since he was unable to think of anything better to say to that, (and since he couldn't exactly argue the point, either).

"How far from the cave are we, Phantom?" Mira asked, when she had also seen how much the walk seemed to be straining Falko.

"If I remember correctly, we still have a ways to go. I just hope we don't run afoul any more of those snipers, at this point." Harlock replied; pausing only long enough to look over his shoulder at them, before moving on.

……………………….

As quickly as they could, the crew of the _**Atlantis**_ rushed in the direction they hoped Harlock and the rest were coming from; urged onwards by the sheer number of bounty hunters and snipers they had already taken down.

"They are just ahead of us! Three men, one woman, one child and…..three wolves? Why would wolves be traveling with them?" Clio murmured, as she carefully aimed her rifle at what appeared to be a clump of bushes and fired; killing the sniper hiding there almost effortlessly.

"No clue. All I can say, is that I'm relieved we've almost found 'em. This place has become a damn hornet's nest overnight!" Al muttered, freezing when he heard what sounded like footsteps coming their way, and preparing to fire his pistol at whoever was coming.

"Wait! It's them!" Clio yelped; stopping Al just in time, for, no sooner had she said that, did the unmistakable figure of Captain Harlock step right into their midst.

"The crew of the _**Atlantis**_, I take it?" Harlock asked, as he glanced at the faces around him, and as those with him finally joined him.

"Yeah. Good to meet you, sir." Al said; relieved that they had finally found them (and especially that Clio had stopped him from opening fire on him!).

"How far is the ship from here?" one of the men asked, tiredly.

"A couple of miles behind us. Why? Who're you?" Al replied, suspiciously, as the rest of the crew eyed him warily.

"Falko Harlock." The man replied, strongly, "A friend of Kai Oyama."

"So you are the one Kai had mentioned! The one he'd chosen to be the captain of his ship! Though…..you're a lot more confident than what Kai had said you were." Clio murmured, as she tilted her head to one side in confusion at this. Falko only offered her an almost enigmatic smile, then glanced back at the rest of the group.

"I've earned the right to call myself a Harlock, since then. I am now a man worthy enough of captaining Kai's ship." Falko said, confidently.

"Then, by all means, let's get you there! Let's go!" one man shouted, eagerly. This got an agreement from the rest of the crew, as well. For a brief moment, Harlock and Lightningtooth exchanged a glance, before nodding as well.

"History has ways of repeating itself…..Most of the time in the worst ways…..But sometimes, a repeat of a better nature comes about." Lightningtooth said, wisely, as he watched Falko speak with his new crew for the first time.

"True enough….." Harlock agreed, then added, "Let's just hope, though, that he doesn't get his eye shot out, before he sets foot on his new ship."

"That we both can agree on, old friend." Lightningtooth mumbled, as they began to rush towards the cave; hoping against hope that Falko's destiny (as well as Fritz's) lay in the Sea of Stars…..and not in death.

…………………

"Here comes some more!" one of the gunners on the _**Arcadia**_'s bridge shouted, as they fought off the bounty hunter ships that were coming their way. Almost as soon as the ship had taken off, the hunters' ships had swarmed at them in a way that reminded them of angered bees.

"Almost reminds me of what we'd encountered at one point during that Noo problem." Sabu muttered, as he kept the sights of the _**Arcadia**_'s guns on the ships themselves.

"In some ways, that analogy isn't far from the truth." La Miime murmured; continuing when she got some startled looks from the rest of the crew for that, "These attacks are fueled by an emotion…..just not fear, this time. This time….hatred is the one pulling the strings."

"Hatred? But whose hatred could be this strong? Certainly not the Machine Empire's, since it's never manifested itself like this before!" Kei said, shakily.

"It isn't the empire's emotion I am feeling…..It's the hatred of one man. Someone the Captain knows only too well." La Miime replied, ominously; her words causing a chill of dread to creep down the spines of Kei and the rest of the crew. Even Yattaran shuddered at the implication of it.

"So what does this mean? Is the Captain in even worse trouble than we'd thought?" another of the crew asked, uneasily.

"I hope not." La Miime whispered; the fact that even she didn't know causing uncertainty and fear for the Captain's life to rise within the crew.

"_Captain_….._Please be careful!_" Kei silently pleaded, even as she automatically followed Harlock's order to distract the hunters long enough for him to implement the other part of his plan…..The question was, what was it?

……………………..

Tochiro could only utter a laugh of relief, when he saw the _**Atlantis**_' crew return….With Harlock, Young Harlock, and three others with them.

"Seems you were wrong about my getting 'tanked' Harlock!" Tochiro joked, when Young Harlock was close enough to hear him.

"Wrong in almost every way imaginable, at this point, my friend." Young Harlock agreed, reluctantly; even though he was glad to see that the engineer was unharmed, thus far.

"The _**Atlantis**_ is in there?" a boy's voice asked, in the background. When Tochiro looked to see who had spoken, he almost did a double take; the boy looked almost exactly as his friend had, when he was younger!

"Indeed." Clio replied, with a hint of a smile in her voice.

"Then we need to hurry and get aboard. Agreed?" another man, this one wearing a uniform and cloak that was eerily similar to the elder Harlock's, asked.

"You all go on ahead. It seems I have a little unfinished business to attend to, before I can join you." Harlock growled, his eye narrowing as he spoke.

"We'll delay the launch just long enough for you to do so, then." The other man said, decisively.

"If I'm not on board in twenty minutes, launch. Don't give up your chance to fly free by waiting too long." Harlock ordered; smirking slightly when the man gave him a quick salute before disappearing into the cave, with his crew, the boy, and an older woman quickly following. The only ones who now remained outside were Young Harlock and Tochiro.

"You two should head in, as well." Harlock said, as he began to unsheathe his gravity saber, and then held it in a ready position.

"What's goin' on? Who're you about to face?" Tochiro asked, concernedly.

"An old adversary." A voice snarled, from the treeline, as its' owner stepped out to face them. The man was finely dressed in the clothing befitting the nobility of Europe, while at the same time wore the insignia of the Machine Empire on his cloak (earning him a snarl in return from Young Harlock, as a response).

"Darghund." Harlock intoned, as he gripped his gravity saber tightly in his right hand.

"Harlock." Darghund hissed; spitting the name out as though it had a foul taste to it.

"I never thought you would sink this low. First, you were a military governor under the Illumidas, and now, you serve the Machine Empire…..If it had come down to it, would you have served the Mazone, as well?" Harlock growled, coldly; his persona now as frigid as it had been those few moments after his rescue from Kansei, so long ago.

"Hold your tongue, you filthy traitor! You have no right to judge me! Not after you abandoned the earth and left Maya to her death!" Darghund retorted. Tochiro jumped when he heard Young Harlock again snarl under his breath, and reach down to unsheathe his own saber; just barely restrained from doing so by Tochiro.

"You have the gall to say her name?" Young Harlock growled, "Dog of the Machine Men?"

"You have no say in this, boy." Darghund snapped, then stopped and looked closely at Young Harlock's face.

"I have plenty to say…..it's just whether or not I'll be allowed to say it; that is the question now." Young Harlock retorted, with barely restrained rage in his voice and eyes as he spoke.

"This one who stands beside you, Harlock…..who is he? Why does he bear such an uncanny resemblance to you, as you had looked in youth?" Darghund asked, as confusion appeared in the midst of the hatred he had for the pirate captain.

"My son." Harlock replied, simply; those two words seeming like a physical blow to the 'baron', before he regained his composure and sneered at him.

"Your son, eh? And which whore did you hire to bear him?" Darghund leered; trying to provoke the pirate into a battle with him.

"The Voice of Radio Free Arcadia was my mother, dog, and you'd do well to remember it." Young Harlock snarled; inwardly sneering when Darghund's face paled, and as shock replaced the hate and rage in his eyes.

"If you wish to keep your life, Darghund, I suggest you let us leave. Otherwise, go ahead and throw your life away on our swords." Harlock warned, then turned and nodded to Young Harlock and Tochiro. Without another word, the three men walked back into the cave; leaving an understandably stunned and shaken Darghund standing there staring mutely after them.

…………………..

All Falko could feel, aside from the burning pain in his shoulder, was awe, as he stepped onto the _**Atlantis**_' bridge for the first time.

"So, what do you think of her?" Kai asked, as he grinned at the expression on Falko's face.

"She's an amazing vessel, my friend……But why didn't you captain her, instead?" Falko questioned; bewildered by this for more reasons than just one, "Why didn't you escape to the stars sooner?"

"No ship of mine will ever set sail without a Harlock at the helm. No….This ship is yours', Falko. And, when it comes time for Fritz to start out on his own, I'll build one for him, too." Kai said, honestly.

"How could you have known that I would even set foot here? I could have been killed during the war, and you would never have gotten to this point." Falko murmured; uncertain on how to take Kai's unwavering faith in his family. Kai again smiled, then glanced at Fritz.

"He would have eventually ended up here, in Arcadia. Harlocks, as I have seen, are some of the most stubborn people on earth. If the metalheads had killed you, he would have found a way to survive, grow up, and become a man so he could avenge you. Think of it this way, Falko, wasn't this way a better way, in the long run?" Kai asked, rhetorically. For a few moments, Falko was silent, as he gazed at his son; shuddering inwardly as he imagined what could have happened, and agreeing wholeheartedly with Kai that this outcome was infinitely better than what had been suggested.

"In the end, he would have become like me." Harlock's voice stated, as he appeared on the bridge.

"What do you mean?" Fritz finally asked, breaking his silence in the midst of the adults.

"I became a ship's captain to avenge the death of my own father, long ago…..But a man who is fueled only by revenge just ends up even emptier than before…..and more alone." Harlock said, then glanced at each member of his family in turn; Mira was gazing at him with her ever-present love and patience, Young Harlock was standing beside her with a look of understanding in his eyes, Fritz, his self-proclaimed nephew, was staring up at him with youthful adoration, and Falko had a younger brother's respect for him hidden in his gaze.

"_In the truest sense of the word, they saved me from that emptiness._" Harlock mused, too proud to say those words, aloud; yet knowing that Lightningtooth had heard them, regardless.

"So, did you finish off Darghund?" Falko asked, as he looked over at him.

"No…..Though I might wish I had, before everything is said and done." Harlock muttered, as he watched Falko assume the captain's position at the helm wheel, and prepare for take off.

"Looks like you won't be able to return home until that has been done." Young Harlock said, as he turned to Mira and gave her an apologetic look. A look Mira returned with her own version of a courageous one.

"I've been meaning to take a vacation, anyway. It'll just give me more of a chance to get to know Falko and Fritz better, in the meantime." Mira stated, stubbornly; this statement getting some laughter from the crew, and even some chuckles from Harlock (as well as an exasperated shake of his head, as well).

"Then so be it." Falko said, quietly, then reached out and gripped the wheel firmly in his gloved hands, "_**Atlantis**_……Hasshin!" Immediately, in response to his words, the _**Atlantis**_ roared to life; powerful engines forcing it from its' rocky berth, and towards the cave's entrance.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are lifting off! Bid the earth a 'fond' farewell!" Kai crowed, jocularly, as the _**Atlantis**_ finally emerged fully from the cave, and then started gaining altitude.

………………………..

"Whoa! Kei-san! First Officer! Get a look at this!" Sabu shouted, when something appeared on the screen.

"What the…..?.!" Kei started to say, yet trailed off when she saw what they could now see was a new ship taking off for the first time…..and its' uncanny resemblance to the _**Arcadia**_ and _**DeathShadow**_!

"She's hailing us…..Might as well see who this is." Yattaran muttered, as Kei tuned the comm system to their frequency. One could imagine her shock when she saw what the captain of the new ship looked like, and who stood in the background behind him!

"What's going on here?.!" Kei asked, before Harlock spoke up on the other end of the transmission.

"Alert the _**DeathShadow**_ and have them meet us at Pirate Island Three…..They need to meet this ship's captain and crew." Harlock stated, calmly.

"R….right! But who is this new captain, and what is the name of his ship?" Kei questioned, bewilderingly. At this, the stranger smirked slightly.

"The name is Captain Falko Harlock, of the space pirate vessel, _**Atlantis**_." The man in the black and silver uniform said, proudly.

"Then welcome to freedom, Captain. You're one of us, now." Yattaran greeted; grinning when he got an approving nod from Harlock for that.

"_The Sea of Stars_……_I'm home at last._" Was the thought that La Miime picked up from the _**Atlantis**_' captain as they finally emerged from the atmosphere, and flew away in the direction of the Space Pirates' secret base…..a smile touching her eyes for the first time in days; proving that she agreed with that, wholeheartedly.

Author's Note!

Okay, this story is finally coming to an end and the epilogue is coming up! Hope it was an 'enjoyable' journey!

Gemini14


	9. Epilogue

Epilogue

It had been close to three months since the _**Atlantis**_ had taken flight, and had started roaming freely through the Sea of Stars, when Harlock had suddenly summoned Falko back to the Pirate Islands.

"_Wonder what could have instigated this? He usually doesn't send messages so vague._" Falko mused, concernedly, as he walked confidently through the halls of the supply satellite. Beside him, Fritz and Silvereye were also walking; eagerly anticipating visiting with the other pirate captain again. Once they had reached the loading area, he was quite surprised to see that Kai had reached the gathering before them, and that he was standing rather tearfully, in front of something that was wrapped in a large tarp. On the other side of it, stood Harlock himself.

"Young Harlock couldn't make it, so he had me bring this along. From what he was able to tell me, this had saved your lives, several times over." Harlock murmured, as he carefully pulled the tarp off, and revealed what had been hidden under its' protective layers. To Falko's and Fritz's shock and wonder, there sat the plane that had saved their lives…..and, in so doing, helped them find the other half of their family.

"Arcadia! Dad, it's Arcadia!" Fritz shouted, joyfully, as he raced over to the old plane; touching it's gleaming metal side as soon as he was close enough.

"I can hardly believe it…..How did he manage this? How was he able to……?" Falko muttered, completely at a loss for how this had come to pass.

"I'm not really altogether sure how he had gotten past the watchful eye of the mechanized men, but he had told me that he didn't like the idea of them having this plane……Especially since he knows I was given it's bombsight the night the _**Arcadia**_ went into battle for the first time." Harlock stated, as he brought out what looked to be an ordinary wooden box, opened it, and revealed what it was protecting.

"A Messerschmitt bombsight….." Falko murmured, as he watched Harlock climb up to the cockpit, open it, and then lock the bombsight back into its' rightful place.

"Now this Arcadia is complete again." Harlock said, as he descended, "Take the plane back, Falko. Find a sky to fly it under…..and when you have found it, let me know. I want to have the opportunity to pilot it at least once, as well." At this, Falko could only smile and nod.

"Consider it done." Falko replied, his tone promising the elder pirate captain that he would do just that.

"_And promises between brothers must always be kept._" Falko mused, as he watched his crew carefully load the ancient plane into the _**Atlantis**_' docking bay, and silently looked forward to the day when they would be able to take it out, and fly in freedom under a blue sky, once more.

_**Owari**_

****

****

**_Author's Note!_**

**_Very rushed epilogue, I know, but this was the best I could come up with! (Hope the ending was all right, otherwise!) But be on the look-out! There's more to come with Falko and the rest! Stay tuned!_**

**_Gemini14_**


End file.
